[Senate Hearing 115-211]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
S. Hrg. 115-211
BUSINESS MEETING
=======================================================================
MEETING
before the
COMMITTEE ON
ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS
UNITED STATES SENATE
ONE HUNDRED FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
__________
NOVEMBER 29, 2017
__________
Printed for the use of the Committee on Environment and Public Works
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Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.govinfo.gov
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COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS
ONE HUNDRED FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
JOHN BARRASSO, Wyoming, Chairman
JAMES M. INHOFE, Oklahoma THOMAS R. CARPER, Delaware
SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO, West Virginia BENJAMIN L. CARDIN, Maryland
JOHN BOOZMAN, Arkansas BERNARD SANDERS, Vermont
ROGER WICKER, Mississippi SHELDON WHITEHOUSE, Rhode Island
DEB FISCHER, Nebraska JEFF MERKLEY, Oregon
JERRY MORAN, Kansas KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND, New York
MIKE ROUNDS, South Dakota CORY A. BOOKER, New Jersey
JONI ERNST, Iowa EDWARD J. MARKEY, Massachusetts
DAN SULLIVAN, Alaska TAMMY DUCKWORTH, Illinois
RICHARD SHELBY, Alabama KAMALA HARRIS, California
Richard M. Russell, Majority Staff Director
Gabrielle Batkin, Minority Staff Director
C O N T E N T S
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Page
NOVEMBER 29, 2017
OPENING STATEMENTS
Barrasso, Hon. John, U.S. Senator from the State of Wyoming...... 1
Whitehouse, Hon. Sheldon, U.S. Senator from the State of Rhode
Island......................................................... 2
Merkley, Hon. Jeff, U.S. Senator from the State of Oregon........ 3
Harris, Hon. Kamala, U.S. Senator from the State of California... 3
Gillibrand, Hon. Kirsten, U.S. Senator from the State of New York 4
Markey, Hon. Edward J., U.S. Senator from the State of
Massachusetts.................................................. 5
Inhofe, Hon. James M., U.S. Senator from the State of Oklahoma... 6
Carper, Hon. Thomas R., U.S. Senator from the State of Delaware.. 7
Cardin, Hon. Benjamin L., U.S. Senator from the State of Maryland 9
PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATIONS
Kathleen Hartnett White to be a Member of the Council on
Environmental Quality.......................................... 13
Andrew Wheeler to be Deputy Administrator of the Environmental
Protection Agency.............................................. 14
COMMITTEE RESOLUTIONS
Lease, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, Washington, DC, PDC-
10-WA17........................................................ 15
Lease, Department of Defense, Office of the Secretary of Defense
Joint Staff, Suffolk, Virginia, PVA-01-SU17.................... 16
Lease, Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs
Enforcement, Washington, DC, PDC-03-WA17....................... 17
Lease, Agency for International Development, Washington, DC, PDC-
12-WA17........................................................ 19
Lease, Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency
Management Agency, Washington, DC, PDC-02-WA17................. 21
Lease, Internal Revenue Service, Fresno, California, PCA-01-FR17. 23
Lease, Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border
Protection, Office of Information Technology, PVA-01-WA17...... 25
Lease, Department of State, Washington, DC, PDC-07-WA17.......... 27
Lease, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Washington, DC,
PDC-09-WA17.................................................... 28
Lease, National Institutes of Health, Montgomery and Prince
George's Counties, MD, PMD-01-WA17............................. 30
Lease, Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, DC, PDC-
11-WA17........................................................ 31
Lease, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, New Port Richey,
Florida, PFL-01-VA17........................................... 32
Lease, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Oahu, Hawaii, PHI-01-
VA17........................................................... 33
Lease, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Phoenix, Arizona,
PAZ-01-VA17.................................................... 34
Lease, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Ponce, Puerto Rico,
PPR-01-VA17.................................................... 35
Lease, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Redding, California,
PCA-01-VA17.................................................... 36
Lease, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, San Antonio, Texas,
PTX-01-VA17.................................................... 37
Lease, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, San Diego,
California, PCA-01-VA17........................................ 38
Lease, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Tulsa, Oklahoma, POK-
01-VA17........................................................ 39
BUSINESS MEETING
----------
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017
U.S. Senate,
Committee on Environment and Public Works,
Washington, DC.
The Committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:03 a.m. in
room 406, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Hon. John Barrasso
(Chairman of the Committee) presiding.
Present: Senators Barrasso, Carper, Inhofe, Capito,
Boozman, Wicker, Fischer, Moran, Rounds, Ernst, Sullivan,
Cardin, Whitehouse, Merkley, Gillibrand, Markey, Harris, and
Shelby.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. JOHN BARRASSO,
U.S. SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF WYOMING
Senator Barrasso. Good morning. I call this business
meeting to order. I want to thank everyone for coming.
We are here to consider two nominations and 19 General
Services Administration resolutions.
We will be voting at roughly 10:20 to accommodate members'
schedules, but before we vote we will debate and discuss the
matters before us. The majority will have 10 minutes to speak,
beginning with my opening statement. The minority will have 10
minutes to speak, beginning with the Ranking Member's opening
statement. So, I would ask that the clock please be started on
the majority time, and I will make a few brief comments, then
reserve the balance of the majority's time to make additional
comments after the minority's time has expired.
The Ranking Member may recognize those members of the
minority wishing to speak during the minority's time.
After each side has used its time, we will move to votes as
soon as a quorum is present.
After completion of the votes, I would be happy to
recognize every member who still wishes to speak.
Today we consider the nomination of Kathleen Hartnett White
to be a member of the Council on Environmental Quality, CEQ.
President Trump intends to designate Ms. White as Chair of CEQ
upon her confirmation by the Senate. Ms. White's experience in
environmental matters is broad. Neil Bradley, the Senior Vice
President and Chief Policy Officer of the U.S. Chamber of
Commerce, wrote this about Ms. White, that she is well suited
to serving as Chair of the CEQ and has ``wide ranging
experience relevant to the position.''
I ask unanimous consent to enter his entire letter into the
record. Without objection.
[The referenced information was not received at time of
print.]
Senator Barrasso. If confirmed, Ms. White will bring her
extensive experience to the job at CEQ, and I urge my
colleagues to vote yes on her nomination.
We will also consider the nomination of Andrew Wheeler to
be Deputy Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
Over 25 years working in the environmental field, Mr. Wheeler
has proven himself to be a well qualified, experienced, and
dedicated public servant. Twelve of those years he spent
working at this Committee as this Committee's Clean Air
Subcommittee Staff Director and Republican Staff Director and
Chief Counsel.
We know what an invaluable contribution Mr. Wheeler will
make in the protection of America's public health and safety as
Deputy Administrator of the EPA. I urge my colleagues to vote
on his nomination in a positive way as well.
We will also consider 19 resolutions to approve
prospectuses providing for General Services Administration
leases. The leases will provide office space for the Pension
Benefit Guaranty Corporation, the Department of Defense, the
Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency for International
Development, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the
Internal Revenue Service, Customs and Border Protection, the
Department of State, the Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission, National Institutes of Health, Securities and
Exchange Commission, and eight Department of Veterans Affairs
locations.
I would like to reserve the balance of my time at this
point and turn to the Ranking Member for his statement and for
him to recognize members of the minority as he sees fit.
Senator Carper. Thanks, Mr. Chairman. I am going to refrain
from speaking at this moment and see if Senator Whitehouse
would like to make some comments.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. SHELDON WHITEHOUSE,
U.S. SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
Senator Whitehouse. Mr. Chairman, thank you.
A nominee who can't follow the thread from carbon pollution
to ocean warming to sea level rise, who imagines science that
is not there and ignores science that is there is a
preposterous nominee.
There is a popular legend of the Emperor Caligula
appointing his horse to the Roman Senate. Had he done that, it
would have raised important questions. But the real questions
would not have been about the horse. The horse was just a
horse. The real questions would have been about the power of
the Emperor Caligula and the spine of the Roman Senate.
Discussing the merits of the horse would be pointless.
Approving this nominee for CEQ would be so preposterous
that it would be like appointing Caligula's horse in that the
real question becomes about the power of our fossil fuel
emperors and the spine of the Senate. This is a moment in which
the Senate takes its own measure. I guess we are about to see
the answer.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Senator Carper. Senator Merkley, would you like to speak,
please?
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. JEFF MERKLEY,
U.S. SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF OREGON
Senator Merkley. Thank you very much.
Today we are on the verge of substantial disservice to the
American people. Our job as Senators is to ensure the posts in
the Federal Government are filled by qualified individuals who
will do the right thing for the public, not execute the agenda
of the fossil fuel industry. But today we are on voting on
nominees who deny basic science, ignore public health risks,
and are riddled with conflicts of interest.
Ms. White, for example, not only denies that we are
experiencing the devastating impacts of climate disruption; she
also tries to tell us more carbon pollution would be good for
humanity. And she has demonized those who would advance
renewable energy and diminish pollution as pagans and
communists.
In her response to my written questions, she said she would
``work to ensure that any regulatory actions are based on the
most up to date and objective scientific data.'' But she made
this promise directly after casting doubt on the overwhelming
scientific consensus that human greenhouse gas emissions are
driving climate disruption.
She will be charged with running the U.S. Council on
Environmental Quality, yet she denies there are environmental
issues left to address. She is choosing to ignore water
contamination, air pollution, and toxic sites impacting
communities across our nation.
It seems unreal that we are considering a nominee so far
beyond the fringe of even climate deniers, a woman who is not
an advocate for human health and environmental protection, but
is an advocate for carbon pollution and completely unqualified
for this post.
Mr. Wheeler is the ultimate revolving door lobbyist, no way
qualified to serve as Deputy Administrator of the EPA. As
recently as August he lobbied for Murray Energy, a company with
an extremely long history of environmental and labor
violations. As a lobbyist for the company, Wheeler personally
helped Murray Energy formulate a plan for rolling back EPA's
environmental regulations and undermining the Agency's ability
to carry out its mission of protecting the health of our planet
and our people. He personally attended meetings held to discuss
Energy Secretary Rick Perry's proposal to have the Federal
Government subsidize putting coal in nuclear plants.
Time and again he has routinely put the interests of his
clients above the interests and well being of the American
people. It is beyond comprehension how this individual, so
beholden to the fossil fuel industry, so deeply imbedded in a
record of fighting for private interest at the expense of
public welfare, could possibly serve in an agency tasked to
protect our environment and our people.
I urge my colleagues to reject these nominees.
Senator Carper. I thank the Senator from Oregon.
The Senator from California.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. KAMALA HARRIS,
U.S. SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
Senator Harris. Thank you.
I urge my colleagues to vote no on the nominations of Ms.
White and Mr. Wheeler. These nominations are the latest in a
pattern by this Administration to send us candidates with work
experience that directly conflicts the mission that they are
supposed to execute.
Earlier this month we voted on a nominee whose job at EPA
is to oversee the safety of chemicals. Yet this same person
spent their life promoting dangerous levels of chemicals in
water and took money from the chemical industry to combat the
mission of the EPA.
Today we are considering a fossil fuel lobbyist, Mr.
Wheeler, to be the second in command at the EPA. We are also
considering a fossil fuel industry supporter, Ms. Hartnett
White, to head the Council on Environmental Quality, a nominee
who has claimed that ``the fossil fuel industry helped end
slavery.'' So, apparently, she is putting the fossil fuel
industry right up there with the 13th Amendment.
Now, let's be clear that extracting, transporting, and
burning fossil fuels, such as coal and oil and gas, pollute our
environment. It harms the health of our families and
communities, and it produces carbon dioxide that contributes to
climate change. If confirmed, Ms. White will be tasked with
coordinating Federal environmental efforts, including the
implementation of the National Environmental Protection Act,
that works to ensure that Americans can drink clean water and
breathe clean air.
She even claimed that we ``already cleaned up our
environment enough.'' Well, I disagree. There are still far too
many Americans who are exposed to dangerous environmental
conditions.
With these nominees, the Administration is placing
corporate interests over public health and the economic
interests of Americans. It is dangerous, morally bankrupt, and
undermines our ability to create jobs, economic success, and
healthy communities for all Americans in the years and decades
ahead.
In closing, in my home State of California we have over 90
Superfund sites full of toxic chemicals, one of which is in Los
Angeles's Harbor Gateway, right next to a Boys & Girls Club
where young children play. We have not cleaned up our
environment for these children. We cannot turn our backs on
Americans' right to live in safe communities without toxins,
and unfortunately, these nominations have demonstrated no
interest in meeting this goal.
My colleagues and I have a responsibility to those
Americans, and I urge them to join me in voting against these
nominations.
Thank you.
Senator Carper. Thank you.
The Senator from New York.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND,
U.S. SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF NEW YORK
Senator Gillibrand. Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member, I
strongly oppose these two nominees, and I urge everyone to vote
against them.
I am particularly troubled by Kathleen Hartnett White to
serve as the Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality. Her
extreme views, as my colleagues have noted, on issues ranging
from climate change to the role of science to clean air
regulations, make her unfit to serve. Mrs. White denies that
extreme weather is getting worse as a result of climate change,
despite all the evidence to the contrary. We do not need to
look any further than this year's hurricane season to see how
dangerously callous her point of view is.
My constituents in New York, as well as those in Texas,
Florida, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, deserve someone
leading the CEQ who will take climate change seriously and
ensure that the Federal Government is doing everything we can
to make our country more resilient. And it is clear from her
record in Texas, as well as her past writings and statements,
that she will side again and again with her patrons in the
fossil fuel industry, and not the health and well being of our
constituents.
I strongly urge a sense of conscience and a no vote.
Senator Carper. Thanks very much. I reserve my time.
Senator Markey.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. EDWARD J. MARKEY,
U.S. SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS
Senator Markey. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Kathleen Hartnett White, from my perspective, on issue
after issue, she has made statements and holds views that are
not just outliers; they are outrageous. Her views aren't just
incorrect; they are incomprehensible for someone charged to
lead the coordination of all Federal environmental action. She
has stated many times that ``carbon dioxide is not a
pollutant,'' in direct opposition to the ruling of the Supreme
Court in Massachusetts v. EPA. She has written that
``renewables are a false hope that simply won't work'' and
stated that renewable energy is inconsequential, even as we are
going to have more than 200,000 megawatts and 500,000 workers
in the wind and solar industries just within the next 3 years.
Under Ms. Hartnett White, CEQ would no longer stand for the
Council on Environmental Quality; it would stand for Crazy
Environmental Quackery. We cannot, at this time, have this type
of person in charge of the environment in our country.
I urge a no vote.
Senator Carper. Thank you, Senator Markey.
Senator Barrasso. Senator Inhofe.
Senator Whitehouse. Mr. Chairman, before we go, could I
just ask unanimous consent? I have a letter from 300 U.S.
scientists opposing the nomination of Ms. Hartnett White. To
quote them, ``because one thing more dangerous than climate
change is lying.'' And I would like to have that letter
admitted to the record.
Senator Barrasso. Without objection.
[The referenced information was not received at time of
print.]
Senator Barrasso. Let me just say that comparing Ms. White
to a horse, as one of our Democrat colleagues just did, to me
is a new low. It is disturbing, it is demeaning, and it is
dehumanizing.
Yesterday, President Obama's Assistant Secretary of Energy,
Charles McConnell, wrote an op-ed in support of Ms. White,
which I am going to introduce to the record as well. Mr.
McConnell explained that ``Listening to her critics, one might
think she opposes all regulation. That is simply untrue, as her
record shows.'' He goes on to say, and again, this is President
Obama's Assistant Secretary of Energy, ``The fact is she has
always supported and insisted on smart regulation.'' He goes on
to say, ``Kathleen led the Texas Commission on Environmental
Quality during an extraordinary period of growth in the Texas
population, and yet the State realized impressive declines in
the levels of pollution during that time.'' He cites declines
in ozone, declines in nitrogen oxide, decline in other
pollutants. This is President Obama's Assistant Secretary of
Energy.
I ask unanimous consent to enter this op-ed in the record
as well. Without objection.
[The referenced information was not received at time of
print.]
Senator Barrasso. Senator Inhofe.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. JAMES M. INHOFE,
U.S. SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA
Senator Inhofe. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
We have had a lot of name calling here, and I am sure that
makes everybody on the left feel better.
I don't know Kathleen White as well, obviously, as I do
Andrew Wheeler, but you said exactly what I was going to say.
We have people out there that are singing her praises, and you
don't need to get down in the mud and name calling and these
things.
But I do know Andrew Wheeler, and I know Andrew probably
better than anyone except maybe his mother. Andrew Wheeler has
been with me for so many years, actually, 14 years. He was a
counselor in my personal office, and then he was a staff
director when I chaired the Subcommittee--on the Clean Air
Subcommittee, and he was the one who, really, I relied on at
that time. He has been the chief counsel for the EPW, for our
Committee; he has been majority and minority staff director. We
have worked on things together that are successful.
You know, we can be really proud on this Committee because,
once you get through with all the name calling, we have done so
many good things. We have accomplished things. I can remember
when we used to have the Chairman's meeting every Tuesday at
12:15, and the Republican leader would go around to all the
different Chairmen, and when it got to me I would say, now,
from the Committee that actually does things. That was us. We
did it on a bipartisan basis.
Well, when we were working with Andrew Wheeler, we did the
1998 and the 2005 highway bills, huge bills; the Energy Policy
Act of 2005; the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.
The Clear Skies Act, that was one that was early on. We
couldn't get Democrats to join in on that, so that ended up not
being successful. But the Clean Air Interstate Rule, the Diesel
Emissions Reduction Act, greenhouse gas emission legislation.
Five out of those seven were successful, and they were all
huge. And I have to say that I totally relied on Andrew Wheeler
for the background, the knowledge, the expertise that he has
demonstrated year after year after year on a very bipartisan
basis. So, I am just hoping that you folks will remember we
have had some successes in this Committee and a lot of those
successes we have had were due to one staffer in particular,
and that was Andrew Wheeler.
Senator Barrasso. Thank you, Senator Inhofe.
Senator Carper.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. THOMAS R. CARPER,
U.S. SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF DELAWARE
Senator Carper. Thanks very much.
I just want to start off on one positive note. We are going
to be approving 19 General Services Administration lease
prospectus resolutions today. Nineteen. Hopefully we will go 19
for 19. And one of the reasons why we are able to move forward
is because GSA has acted with sufficient good faith to allow us
to move forward today, and we are going to do that.
I want to say, with respect to Andrew Wheeler, I don't know
him as well as Jim Inhofe does, but during his hearing and in
response to the questions for the record, I thought that he may
have demonstrated a more transparent and straight forward
approach to engaging with members of the Committee than any
other Trump administration EPA nominee thus far. I find that
encouraging. I hope that you do, too.
Senator Inhofe. There is not a lot of competition for that.
Senator Carper. Some would say that is a low bar.
[Laughter.]
Senator Carper. But it is a fact.
That is as close as I am going to get to name calling here
today.
I want to be honest with you. I remain less encouraged with
Administrator Pruitt's progress in responding to the 31 letters
requesting information that have been sent to him by our side
of this Committee. Thus far, he has only adequately responded
to 12 of those letters. That is better than zero, but six of
the unanswered letters are more than 6 months old. More than 6
months old. That is just unacceptable.
Having said that, it is my understanding that EPA is making
an effort to respond to more of our letters, and to do so soon,
and we look forward to reviewing those responses soon. And the
related documents we have been requesting and receiving
responses to future oversight inquiries on a timely basis going
forward.
I just want to thank my colleagues, a number of whom have
been very vocal in calling on EPA to do just that, and I think
the message is getting through.
Let me say this as clearly as I know how. If the responses
that are being crafted by EPA now are completed in short order
and are truly responsive, we will make progress on a number of
nominations. If the nominations are further delayed or
unresponsive, that progress may not be realized. I think we
want progress. So thank you again for those of you who are
speaking up.
I want to devote the remainder of my opening remarks this
morning to the nomination of Kathleen Hartnett White to be the
White House's top environmental official. The importance of the
Office of Environmental Quality cannot be overstated; it has
historically played a vital role in coordinating the efforts of
all Federal agencies on cost cutting and important
environmental issues. I know this from a firsthand account from
one of my earliest mentors, Russell Peterson, who served as the
CEQ chair during both the Nixon and the Ford administrations, a
Delawarean.
Before serving in the White House, Russ Peterson had a
distinguished career as a chemist and a leader at the DuPont
Company and went on to serve as Governor of our State from 1969
to 1973. And despite his being a Republican and me being a
Democrat, Russ Peterson graciously served as one of my key
mentors from the time that we met in 1976 until his death in
2001. He spoke fondly of his time as CEQ Chair, and he
explained to me on more than one occasion the real importance
and influence of the job. As CEQ chair, you are kind of like an
orchestra leader--not playing the instruments, but making sure
that everyone is playing from the same music and in harmony.
Make no mistake about it, CEQ's role and responsibility,
their influence is considerable and consequential; it has been
for many years. That is why I am deeply disappointed at the
nomination of Ms. White, whose views I believe are extreme,
whose words are staggeringly inappropriate, and who shows
remarkable disrespect for science, the environmental laws that
are on the books, and our Federal Government.
I want to just take a minute to look at her record.
Ms. White refers to renewable energy sources as false hope
and parasitic. She has called repeatedly for the repeal of
solar and wind tax credits. She has also called for the repeal
of the Renewable Fuel Standards repeatedly over the past
decade, stating the program is counterproductive, ethnically
offensive, and destructive.
Ms. White has compared the views of those who believe that
human activity is causing climate change to be those of pagans
and communists. Talk about name calling. These are her words;
these are not mine. She has suggested that policies to reduce
global warming pollution could lead to poverty and even to
concentration camps. She has said several times that fossil
fuels ended slavery.
Ms. White consistently denies the cause and impacts of
climate change. She has repeatedly stated that we would benefit
from more carbon dioxide in our atmosphere, not less. She has
actively supported groups that promote this extreme point of
view.
Moreover, Ms. White has repeatedly contradicted the
accepted views of previously Republican and Democratic
administrations alike about the health effects of air
pollution, saying that ``people do not die of particulate
matter levels,'' that ``ozone isn't harmful unless you put your
mouth over the tailpipe of a car for 8 hours a day,'' and that
the Clean Air Act no longer provides an effective
scientifically credible or economically viable means of air
quality management.
Nothing that Ms. White said at her hearing or in response
to post-hearing questions provides me with as much as a shred
of confidence in her suitability for almost any Senate
confirmed role, let alone one that carries with it the
responsibility of chairing the Council on Environmental Quality
in this or some other Administration.
If she is confirmed to serve in this important leadership
position, I believe we will have failed in our responsibility
as United States Senators to provide advice and consent, and we
will have failed the people of this country. I cannot urge my
colleagues more strongly to oppose her nomination.
We sat here, Mr. Chairman--I will conclude with this. We
sat here for her hearing. I have been sitting through hearings
here for 17 years. It was painful to watch. It was painful to
watch, and it was painful to hear, and we should not inflict
this pain on the people of this country.
Thanks so much.
Senator Barrasso. Thank you very much, Senator Carper.
Anyone else wanting to make a statement on this as we wait
for the final member for the vote?
Senator Cardin.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. BENJAMIN L. CARDIN,
U.S. SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF MARYLAND
Senator Cardin. I was going to wait until after the vote,
but I will be very brief.
I want to explain my strong opposition to Ms. Hartnett
White for the position that she has been nominated to. She
authored an article indicating one of the worst ways to
celebrate Earth Day is the signing of the Paris Accords.
I had the opportunity to be with four of our colleagues in
Bonn 2 weeks ago to try to represent the U.S. view that we want
to be part of the international community and the international
community's efforts to deal with global climate change. We are
now the only country that has announced that we will not be
part of these discussions.
And I have had conversations with members of the
Administration, including the Secretary of State, who
recognizes the importance for America to be part of this
process. I want to make sure that we have people in the
Administration who understand the importance of the U.S. global
engagement, and Ms. Hartnett White clearly does not fall into
that category, and that is why I oppose her nomination.
Senator Barrasso. Thank you, Senator Cardin.
Now that the majority and minority have had an opportunity
to debate and discuss the issues and members have arrived, I
would like to move the votes on the items of today's agenda. We
will defer additional statements until the end of voting, and I
will be happy to recognize any additional members still wishing
to speak.
The Ranking Member and I have agreed to bring up the
nominees to be a member of the CEQ and the Deputy Administrator
of EPA for separate roll call votes. The Ranking Member has
requested that each of these nominees receive a separate roll
call vote. The Ranking Member and I have agreed to vote on the
19 GSA resolutions en bloc by voice vote, but members may
choose to have their votes recorded for a specific resolution
in that bloc after the voice vote.
To begin, I would like to call up Presidential Nomination
1101, Kathleen Hartnett White, of Texas, to be a member of the
Council of Environmental Quality. I move to approve and report
the nomination favorably to the Senate.
Is there a second?
Senator Inhofe. Second.
Senator Barrasso. The Clerk will call the roll.
The Clerk. Mr. Booker.
Senator Carper. No, by proxy.
The Clerk. Mr. Boozman.
Senator Boozman. Yes.
The Clerk. Mrs. Capito.
Senator Capito. Yes.
The Clerk. Mr. Cardin.
Senator Cardin. No.
The Clerk. Mr. Carper.
Senator Carper. No.
The Clerk. Ms. Duckworth.
Senator Carper. No, by proxy.
The Clerk. Mrs. Ernst.
Senator Ernst. Yes.
The Clerk. Mrs. Fischer.
Senator Fischer. Yes.
The Clerk. Mrs. Gillibrand.
Senator Gillibrand. No.
The Clerk. Ms. Harris.
Senator Harris. No.
The Clerk. Mr. Inhofe.
Senator Inhofe. Aye.
The Clerk. Mr. Markey.
Senator Markey. No.
The Clerk. Mr. Merkley.
Senator Merkley. No.
The Clerk. Mr. Moran.
Senator Moran. Aye.
The Clerk. Mr. Rounds.
Senator Rounds. Aye.
The Clerk. Mr. Sanders.
Senator Carper. No, by proxy.
The Clerk. Mr. Shelby.
Senator Shelby. Aye.
The Clerk. Mr. Sullivan.
Senator Sullivan. Aye.
The Clerk. Mr. Whitehouse.
Senator Carper. No, by proxy.
The Clerk. Mr. Wicker.
Senator Wicker. Aye.
The Clerk. Mr. Chairman.
Senator Barrasso. Aye.
The Clerk will report.
The Clerk. Mr. Chairman, the yeas are 11, the nays are 10.
Senator Barrasso. We have approved the nomination of Ms.
White to be a member of the Council on Environmental Quality,
which will be reported to the full Senate for approval.
I would like to now call up Presidential Nomination 1084,
Andrew Wheeler, of Virginia, to be Deputy Administrator of the
Environmental Protection Agency. I move to approve and report
the nomination favorably to the Senate.
Is there a second?
Senator Inhofe. Second.
Senator Barrasso. The Clerk will call the roll.
The Clerk. Mr. Booker.
Senator Carper. No, by proxy.
The Clerk. Mr. Boozman.
Senator Boozman. Yes.
The Clerk. Mrs. Capito.
Senator Capito. Yes.
The Clerk. Mr. Cardin.
Senator Cardin. No.
The Clerk. Mr. Carper.
Senator Carper. No.
The Clerk. Ms. Duckworth.
Senator Carper. No, by proxy.
The Clerk. Mrs. Ernst.
Senator Ernst. Yes.
The Clerk. Mrs. Fischer.
Senator Fischer. Yes.
The Clerk. Mrs. Gillibrand.
Senator Gillibrand. No.
The Clerk. Ms. Harris.
Senator Harris. No.
The Clerk. Mr. Inhofe.
Senator Inhofe. Aye.
The Clerk. Mr. Markey.
Senator Markey. No.
The Clerk. Mr. Merkley.
Senator Merkley. No.
The Clerk. Mr. Moran.
Senator Moran. Aye.
The Clerk. Mr. Rounds.
Senator Rounds. Aye.
The Clerk. Mr. Sanders.
Senator Carper. No, by proxy.
The Clerk. Mr. Shelby.
Senator Shelby. Aye.
The Clerk. Mr. Sullivan.
Senator Sullivan. Aye.
The Clerk. Mr. Whitehouse.
Senator Carper. No, by proxy.
The Clerk. Mr. Wicker.
Senator Wicker. Aye.
The Clerk. Mr. Chairman.
Senator Barrasso. Aye.
The Clerk will report.
The Clerk. Mr. Chairman, the yeas are 11 and the nays are
10.
Senator Barrasso. We have approved the nomination of Mr.
Wheeler to be Deputy Administrator of the Environmental
Protection Agency, which will be reported to the full Senate
for approval.
I would now like to call up 19 resolutions to approve
prospectuses providing for the General Services Administration
leases en bloc. I move to approve 19 General Services
Administration resolutions en bloc.
Is there a second?
Senator Carper. Second.
Senator Barrasso. All those in favor say aye.
[Chorus of ayes.]
Senator Barrasso. Opposed, no.
[No audible response.]
Senator Barrasso. In the opinion of the Chair, the ayes
have it. We have approved 19 GSA resolutions.
The voting part of the business meeting is concluded. I
will be happy to stay and recognize any member who wishes to
make additional statements on the nominations or on the
resolutions.
I ask unanimous consent that the staff have authority to
make technical and conforming changes to each of the matters
approved today.
If no one else wants to make a statement, with that, and no
other business coming before the Committee, the business
meeting is concluded and adjourned.
[Whereupon, at 10:32 a.m. the Committee was adjourned.]
[Presidential nominations and Committee resolutions
submitted for the record follow:]
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
[all]