April 06, 2011

Manchin Votes to Rein in EPA, Prevent Agency from Overstepping Its Authority

Manchin also votes to end billionaires’ use of unemployment funds

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) today voted in favor of two critical measures to stop the Environmental Protection Agency from overreaching its authority to regulate what has not been legislated. He issued the following statement about the measures, sponsored by Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) and Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky): 

“I believe it is fundamentally wrong for any bureaucratic agency to go around the will of the people and try to regulate what we lawmakers have not legislated,” Senator Manchin said. “The EPA’s overreach is destroying jobs in my state and all over the country, and it must be stopped. I am committed to using every tool at my disposal to put this agency back in its proper place.   

“I supported two measures today that would effectively check the EPA’s power grab. Although both of my preferred fixes were unsuccessful, I vow to keep fighting to prevent the EPA from overreaching.”

Senator Manchin also voted in favor of three measures to reduce wasteful government spending, including preventing billionaires and millionaires from drawing unemployment checks and ending redundant government programs.

“With a massive deficit and crushing debt, we have to get our fiscal house in order and protect hardworking families," Senator Manchin said. “It is outrageous that billionaires and millionaires can get unemployment checks when American families are struggling to make ends meet. In order to use taxpayer dollars wisely, we must also eliminate every single redundant program.”


Background: 
 

  • Senator Manchin voted in favor of the Rockefeller amendment (#215), which would suspend for two years any EPA action with respect to the regulation of carbon dioxide or methane.

 

  • Senator Manchin voted in favor of the McConnell amendment (#183) which would permanently prohibit the EPA from regulating greenhouse gas emissions.  

 

  • Senator Manchin voted against the Baucus amendment (#236), which would have allowed the EPA to regulate large emitters of greenhouse gases, but would have exempted agricultural sources.
 
  • Senator Manchin voted against the Stabenow amendment (#277), which would have suspended the EPA’s ability to regulate greenhouse gases from stationary sources for two years. It would have also permanently exempted agricultural sources.
 
  • Senator Manchin voted in favor of the Coburn amendment (#223), which would end unemployment benefit payments to jobless millionaires and billionaires.
 
  • Senator Manchin voted in favor of the Inouye amendment (#286) that would consolidate unnecessary duplicative and overlapping government programs. The duplicative programs were recommended for elimination or consolidation in a GAO report issued in March.
 
  • Senator Manchin voted in favor of the Coburn amendment (#273) that would consolidate unnecessary duplicative and overlapping government programs. The duplicative programs were recommended for elimination or consolidation in a GAO report issued in March.

 
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