Committee Passes Whitfield Bill to Stop EPA Regulation of Greenhouse Gases

Press Release

The House Committee on Energy and Commerce today approved and sent to the full House of Representatives for its consideration the Energy Tax Prevention Act, authored by Committee Chairman Fred Upton (MI-06) and Rep. Ed Whitfield, (KY-01), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy and Power.

The bill (H.R. 910), would prevent the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from using backdoor tactics and questionable authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act in what some believe is an attempt to advance a "cap and trade" agenda that Congress previously rejected.

"EPA is advancing an agenda that will have devastating consequences on consumer prices as well as jobs across the nation, and especially in Kentucky's coal industry," said Whitfield after the hearing. "Kentucky coal supports countless jobs and any decisions with such sweeping influence on jobs and the economy must be made by elected members of Congress and not by unelected executive branch staff."

During the Committee's markup of the legislation today, Whitfield said the bill was not about debating the science of global warming, but more importantly, the bill was about stopping EPA from using inappropriate means to enact regulations that could have devastating effects on the economy.

"What we're talking about today is the proper way to regulate greenhouse gases," said Whitfield during the hearing. "[EPA Administrator] Lisa Jackson…is moving so aggressively, not thinking about the consequences of jobs in America, the cost on people in America, the fact that it would make us less competitive in the global marketplace."

The bill now advances to the full House where it is expected to be taken up before mid-April.

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