Volume 157, No. 49 covering the 1st Session of the 112th Congress (2011 - 2012) was published by the Congressional Record.
The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“THE EPA AMENDMENT” mentioning the Environmental Protection Agency was published in the Senate section on pages S2149 on April 6, 2011.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
THE EPA AMENDMENT
Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, later today, the Senate will vote on an amendment that one leading newspaper described last week as one of the best proposals for growth and job creation to make it onto the Senate docket in years. More specifically, this amendment, which is based on legislation proposed by Senator Inhofe, would prevent unelected bureaucrats at the Environmental Protection Agency from imposing a new national energy tax on American job creators.
Everyone knows that this attempt to handcuff American businesses with new costs and regulations is the last thing these job-creators need right now. That is why even Democrats in Congress have sought to secure the same kind of exemptions from the law for favored industries in their own States that we saw others from their party trying to secure for favored constituencies in the health care law.
Democrats from auto States tried to have the auto industry exempted. And Democrats from farming States tried to have farmers exempted.
What these efforts show, is that Democrats themselves recognize the dangers of these EPA regulations. Yet instead of just voting for the one amendment that solves the problem, they are hiding behind sham amendments designed to give them political cover.
Republicans have a better idea--let's try to make sure everybody is exempted. Let's not pick winners and losers. Let's let America's small businesses and entrepreneurs compete and grow on a level playing field without any more burdensome government regulations, costs, or redtape.
The amendment I have offered on behalf of Senator Inhofe would do that.
The amendment would give businesses the certainty that no unelected bureaucrat at the EPA is going to make their efforts to create jobs even more difficult than the administration already has. So once again, I thank Senator Inhofe for his strong leadership on this issue. He has led the way in protecting American jobs from this burdensome proposal with determination and common sense. He deserves the credit.
I also want to thank Chairman Upton and my good friend, Congressman Whitfield, for fighting against this effort by the EPA and moving legislation to prevent it in the House.
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