[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 193 (Thursday, December 6, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S7324]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, on another matter, for 8 years, 
President Obama landed blow after blow in his War on Coal. As we all 
know, it wasn't just the coal companies that endured the pain; hard-
working families--many who live in economically distressed communities 
that relied on mining jobs--became the casualties of this ideological 
agenda. In my State of Kentucky, for example, those policies inflicted 
serious damage that is still being felt years later.
  That is why I was so grateful to hear that later today, the Trump 
administration will begin the process to undo and replace another Obama 
anti-coal regulation. Throughout the Obama administration, my 
Republican colleagues and I did everything we could to stop this 
assault on vulnerable communities. Where this particular rule is 
concerned, I personally led the charge, including as the lead sponsor 
of a resolution to cancel it altogether.
  Republicans knew these policies would stymie American competitiveness 
and do little to actually help the environment. Despite our best 
efforts, President Obama's EPA worked overtime to shutter existing coal 
plants and, with this rule in particular, stop new ones from being 
built. It was the fulfillment of one of his most troubling campaign 
promises, which many of us in coal country remember very well. Here is 
what he said:

       If somebody wants to build a coal-fired power plant, they 
     can. It's just that it will bankrupt them.

  When we blocked the legislation he originally pitched, President 
Obama chose to go it alone and try to implement aggressive regulations, 
often bending the rule of law in the process. When we used the tools 
available to us to bring relief to American families, we were met each 
time with vetoes. But everything changed when the American people 
elected President Trump. We have worked hand in hand to end the War on 
Coal and to bring relief.
  Earlier this year, the President unveiled his plan to dismantle the 
so-called Clean Power Plan, a policy designed to shut down nearly every 
active coal plant. Now President Trump's EPA is also targeting another 
regulation that would have made it nearly impossible to build any new 
plants in the future. This is a crucial step toward undoing the damage 
and putting coal back on a level playing field.
  On behalf of coal families throughout Kentucky, I applaud the Trump 
administration. This runaway regulation needs to be rolled back and 
replaced with a more reasonable and achievable set of standards. Coal 
deserves a level playing field, and that is what this White House is 
trying to accomplish. I look forward to reviewing the proposal in the 
coming days and continuing to work with President Trump on this 
critical issue.

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