House Approves Bill to Protect Against Job Losses and Higher Energy Costs

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. House of Representatives today approved H.R. 1582, the Energy Consumers Relief Act, by a vote 232 to 181. The legislation, authored by Rep. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), will put greater interagency checks and balances on the EPA and prevent costly regulations that threaten to destroy jobs and increase energy prices for American job creators and families. It requires that before EPA finalizes any new energy-related rules estimated to cost more than $1 billion, the agency must submit a report to Congress detailing certain cost, benefit, energy price, and job impacts, and the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with other relevant agencies, must make a determination regarding the impacts of the rule. EPA would be prohibited from finalizing certain rules if they are determined to cause significant adverse effects to the economy.

“The passage of my Energy Consumers Relief Act is the first step toward checking President Obama’s overreaching agenda. It pushes the EPA regulatory process out in the open. It simply says that Americans should know whether EPA regulations will kill jobs. This will create an honest debate which will force the president to account for his actions,” said Cassidy.

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) applauded passage of the bill, stating, “I thank Mr. Cassidy for his leadership on this critical piece of legislation. H.R. 1582 brings much-needed accountability and perspective to EPA regulations, which is critical given the agency’s recent overreach. As we continue to endure stubbornly high unemployment, a lackluster recovery, and high gas prices, it is now more important than ever to weigh the consequences of EPA’s actions.”

Ahead of the vote, a broad coalition of American job creators and stakeholders voiced their support for the bill. For a full list of supporters, click HERE.

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