Chairman Goodlatte Signs Amicus Brief Challenging Administration's Clean Power Regulations

Washington, D.C.—House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) today joined 205 members of the House and Senate who have signed an amicus brief to support petitioners in the State of West Virginia et al v. EPA litigation pending in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. The petitioners are challenging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s “Clean Power Plan” rule, which was recently stayed by the Supreme Court of the United States. Cosigners of the brief in the House and Senate raise serious concerns with the Article I and Article II controversies within the EPA’s contentious “Clean Power Plan” rule. If fully implemented, the rule would compel the states to adopt numerous costly, excessive regulations affecting the generation, transmission and consumption of electricity, as well as establish emissions trading programs and renewable electricity mandates, all of which would negatively impact the American consumer. Congress has granted no authority for the EPA to regulate CO2 emissions from existing power plants, and cosigners of the amicus brief, argue that the EPA’s determination to proceed with the rule is an unconstitutional usurpation of Congress’ legislative power. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Goodlatte (R-Va.) issued the following statement upon signing the amicus brief: Chairman Goodlatte: “Yet again, the Obama Administration is attempting to circumvent Congress to impose its liberal agenda on the American people, resulting in yet another lawsuit to block the Administration’s power grab in the federal courts. When will President Obama recognize that he cannot use his pen and his phone to go around the Constitution? “This bicameral brief being submitted by Republican members of the House and Senate sends a strong message to the White House and its EPA that they must operate within the confines of our nation’s laws, which were passed by representatives who were directly elected by the American people.” Click here to read the full amicus brief.