[Senate Document 114-9]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]




114th Congress, 2d Session - - - - - - - - - - Senate Document 114-9
 
                           VETO--S.J. RES. 23

                                (PM 34)

                               __________

                                MESSAGE

                                  from

                     THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                               returning

     WITHOUT MY APPROVAL S.J. RES. 23, PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL 
 DISAPPROVAL UNDER CHAPTER 8 OF TITLE 5, UNITED STATES CODE, OF A RULE 
     SUBMITTED BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY RELATING TO 
   ``STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE FOR GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS FROM NEW, 
   MODIFIED, AND RECONSTRUCTED STATIONARY SOURCES: ELECTRIC UTILITY 
   GENERATING UNITS'', RECEIVED DURING ADJOURNMENT OF THE SENATE ON 
                           DECEMBER 18, 2015

[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]


                January 11, 2016.--Ordered to be printed
                
                                 ______

                         U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE 

98-251                         WASHINGTON : 2016                 
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
To the Senate of the United States:
    S.J. Res. 23 is a joint resolution providing for 
congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5 of the 
United States Code of a rule submitted by the Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA) relating to ``Standards of Performance 
for Greenhouse Gas Emissions from New, Modified, and 
Reconstructed Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating 
Units.'' This resolution would nullify EPA's carbon pollution 
standards for new, modified, and reconstructed power plants. 
Accordingly, I am withholding my approval of this resolution. 
(The Pocket Veto Case, 279 U.S. 655 (1929)).
    Climate change poses a profound threat to our future and 
future generations. Atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide, a 
primary greenhouse gas, are higher than they have been in at 
least 800,000 years. In 2009, EPA determined that greenhouse 
gas pollution endangers Americans' health and welfare by 
causing long-lasting changes in the climate that can have, and 
are already having, a range of negative effects on human 
health, the climate, and the environment. We are already seeing 
the impacts of climate change, and established science confirms 
that we will experience stronger storms, deeper droughts, 
longer wildfire seasons, and other intensified impacts as the 
planet warms. The Pentagon has determined that climate change 
poses immediate risks to our national security.
    Power plants are the largest source of greenhouse gas 
pollution in our country. Although we have limits on other 
dangerous pollutants from power plants, the carbon pollution 
standards and the Clean Power Plan ensure that we will finally 
have national standards to reduce the amount of carbon 
pollution that our power plants can emit.
    The carbon pollution standards will ensure that, when we 
make major investments in power generation infrastructure, we 
also deploy available technologies to make that infrastructure 
as low-emitting as possible. By blocking these standards from 
taking effect, S.J. Res. 23 would delay our transition to 
cleaner electricity generating technologies by enabling 
continued build-out of outdated, high-polluting infrastructure. 
Because it would overturn carbon pollution standards that are 
critical to protecting against climate change and ensuring the 
health and well-being of our Nation, I cannot support the 
resolution.
    To leave no doubt that the resolution is being vetoed, in 
addition to withholding my signature, I am returning S.J. Res. 
23 to the Secretary of the Senate, along with this Memorandum 
of Disapproval.

                                                      Barack Obama.
    The White House, December 18, 2015.

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