[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 2]
[Senate]
[Page 1586]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            CLEAN POWER PLAN

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I was disappointed last night to learn that 
the Supreme Court temporarily halted the implementation of President 
Obama's Clean Power Plan program. This was an especially stunning move 
by the Supreme Court, given that just weeks ago the DC Circuit Court of 
Appeals categorically rejected a halt in the Clean Power Plan and 
States do not need to start implementing the plan until 2022.
  This shortsighted decision by the Court's five conservative Justices 
is an unfortunate setback. It unnecessarily puts into question a major 
part of our country's effort to address climate change and protect our 
environment. Notwithstanding my amazement, I remain confident that the 
Obama administration's carbon rules are legally sound and will prevail 
in the courts.
  In the landmark case Massachusetts v. Environmental Protection 
Agency, the Supreme Court itself directed the Environmental Protection 
Agency to address climate change if carbon pollution was found to be a 
danger to human health. Based on enormous scientific evidence, the EPA 
did make that finding and the Agency is required by law to regulate 
carbon pollution. I can't imagine that the Supreme Court would take 
such an unprecedented and drastic step at this time. But the 
unparalleled nature of the Supreme Court's decisions show why Congress 
must play a role in addressing climate change.
  Climate-denying Republicans in the House and Senate might applaud 
this decision, but their refusal to protect Americans from the impact 
of climate change is the real loss for our country.

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