Posted by: David Lungren David_Lungren@epw.senate.gov
Watch Full Interview Here
Inhofe Responds to EPA Announcement on Climate
The Hill
Inhofe: EPA Trying to Bully Congress into Passing Climate Bill
By: Michael O'Brien
October 02, 2009
Link to Article
The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) proposed greenhouse gas rules are meant to intimidate lawmakers into passing climate change legislation, one Republican senator argued Thursday.
Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), a global warming skeptic and ranking member of the Senate Environment and Public Works committee, said that EPA was unlikely to follow through on its threat to issue new rules to businesses on emissions.
"They can do it, but I have a different feeling about this," Inhofe said during an interview yesterday evening on CNBC. "I don't think they really want to do it; I think they want to use this to intimidate Congress to pass this."
Inhofe said that the Obama administration and the EPA wouldn't want to have to take responsibility for imposing new measures that could result in higher taxes and fees for families and businesses, and would rather hang that burden around the necks of lawmakers in Congress.
He said that the EPA's notice this week that it is considering issuing new rules unilaterally if Congress doesn't act.
"My feeling is they're using this for intimidation purposes," Inhofe asserted. "I don't think we're going to see it, because they don't want to be responsible for having to tell the American people this is a big tax increase."
Related:
Inhofe, Barrasso Urge EPA to Provide Answers Before Finalizing EPA Endangerment Finding
Carlin Investigation Continues: Inhofe, Barrasso Send Letter to EPA On Possible Manipulation of Endangerment Finding
EPW POLICY BEAT: WAXMAN-MARKEY'S ENDANGERMENT MESS
WSJ Editorial: Terms of 'Endangerment'
FOXNEWS: Republicans are raising questions about why the EPA apparently dismissed an analyst's report questioning the science behind global warming.
Inhofe Calls EPA's Endangerment Finding a ‘Ticking Time Bomb'
###
