[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 15 (Monday, January 30, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S464-S465]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       NOMINATION OF SCOTT PRUITT

  Mrs. CAPITO. Madam President, the Environmental Protection Agency, 
which bears most of the blame for regulations targeting energy jobs, is 
in dire need of a change of direction. The EPA under the Obama 
administration was unwilling to engage the people of West Virginia in 
public listening sessions or hearings about decisions that directly 
impacted our State's economy, and I have described what the result of 
that has been.
  This failure to effectively engage resulted in a number of job-
killing regulations, like the utility MATS rule for powerplants, the 
so-called Clean Power Plan, and the waters of the U.S. rule.
  As the Presiding Officer knows, the waters of the U.S. rule is 
something that impacts not just mining but also agriculture, 
construction, and it really has far-reaching implications.
  Scott Pruitt, who is President Trump's nominee to become the EPA 
Administrator, has gone through a thorough review process by the 
Environment and Public Works Committee. At Attorney General Pruitt's 
confirmation hearing, Senators from both parties were permitted to 
engage in as many as four rounds of questioning, and some of them were 
pretty tough. After the hearing, Attorney General Pruitt answered 1,078 
questions for the Record. Combining both the hearing and the followup 
questions, Attorney General Pruitt answered more than 1,200 questions 
from our committees.
  Through the process, Attorney General Pruitt has shown himself to be 
a person who cares about applying our environmental laws as they were 
written and intended by Congress. He has a

[[Page S465]]

strong record of enforcing environmental statutes in a balanced way and 
ensuring clean air and clean water without unnecessarily sacrificing 
jobs or economic growth.
  Attorney General Pruitt has been clear that he will work with State 
regulators and listen to the views of individuals who will be most 
heavily impacted by EPA's regulatory decisions.
  I believe Attorney General Pruitt will keep his word and provide a 
refreshing change and direction for West Virginia coal miners, natural 
gas workers, manufacturers, farmers, and, indeed, for all of our 
communities struggling from the effects of overregulation.
  I look forward to supporting Attorney General Pruitt's nomination in 
the EPW Committee, which will come before the committee on Wednesday 
morning, and I look forward to seeing him confirmed on the Senate floor 
soon.
  Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. GRASSLEY. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. GRASSLEY. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent to speak for 
15 minutes.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  (The remarks of Mr. Grassley pertaining to the introduction of S.J. 
Res. 14 are printed in today's Record under ``Statements on Introduced 
Bills and Joint Resolutions.'')
  Mr. GRASSLEY. I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. CARDIN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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