Providing for Consideration of House Joint Resolution 118, Disapproving Rule Relating to Waiver and Expenditure Authority with Respect to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program; Providing for Consideration of H.R. 3409, Stop the War on Coal Act of 2012; and Providing for Proceedings During the Period from September 22, 2012, Through November 12, 2012

Floor Speech

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Mr. HALL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the rule and H.R. 3409, the Stop the War on Coal Act. This may sound a little strange to a guy from an oil and gas State, but we have an awful lot of coal.

This bill takes a number of simple, commonsense, and long overdue steps to rein in the Obama administration's out-of-control EPA, which is waging all-out war on American energy. Coal is at the heart of that war. Anyone who fails to believe such a war exists should speak to the people of Mount Pleasant, Texas, in my congressional district.

EPA's Cross-State Air Pollution Rule threatened 500 jobs at two coal-fired power plants in Mount Pleasant. Fortunately, the courts threw out this rule in August after finding that EPA went well beyond the law in its efforts to regulate coal out of existence.

We know EPA will go back to the drawing board. H.R. 3409 adds needed protections for any future proposal and, in doing so, protects jobs not only in my State, but in coal-producing States and coal-using States all around the country.

The bill also blocks future efforts to attack coal through other regulations, most notably the EPA's effort to enact economywide restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions. These rules are based on shaky science and would raise the cost of energy for all Americans. They should never see the light of day.

I want to mention my support for two amendments made in order under this rule. They will be offered by members of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee, which I chair. These amendments address serious problems with EPA science that the committee highlighted during the 112th Congress; specifically, Congressman Dan Benishek's amendment that requires that an analysis of the cost of regulations explicitly evaluate the potential negative health effects of regulations. Energy and Environment Subcommittee Chairman Andy Harris' amendment would require that the scientific data EPA uses to justify its regulations is peer reviewed and made publicly available.

These amendments reinforce and strengthen the transparency and openness provisions in H.R. 3409. I urge Members to support these amendments, the rule, and the underlying bill as well.

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