National Energy Tax Repeal Act (S. 1324)
To prohibit any regulations promulgated pursuant to a presidential memorandum relating to power sector carbon pollution standards from taking effect.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 18, 2013
Mr. Barrasso (for himself, Mr. Enzi, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Alexander, Mr. Paul, Mr. Blunt, Mrs. Fischer, and Mr. Crapo) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works
A BILL
To prohibit any regulations promulgated pursuant to a presidential memorandum relating to power sector carbon pollution standards from taking effect.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the "National Energy Tax Repeal Act".
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.
(a) Findings.—Congress finds that—
(1) on June 25, 2013, President Obama issued a Presidential memorandum directing the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to issue regulations relating to power sector carbon pollution standards for existing coal fired power plants;
(2) the issuance of that memorandum circumvents Congress and the will of the people of the United States;
(3) any action to control emissions of greenhouse gases from existing coal fired power plants in the United States by mandating a national energy tax would devastate major sectors of the economy, cost thousands of jobs, and increase energy costs for low-income households, small businesses, and seniors on fixed income;
(4) joblessness increases the likelihood of hospital visits, illnesses, and premature deaths;
(5) according to testimony on June 15, 2011, before the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate by Dr. Harvey Brenner of Johns Hopkins University, "The unemployment rate is well established as a risk factor for elevated illness and mortality rates in epidemiological studies performed since the early 1980s. In addition to influences on mental disorder, suicide and alcohol abuse and alcoholism, unemployment is also an important risk factor in cardiovascular disease and overall decreases in life expectancy.";
(6) according to the National Center for Health Statistics, "children in poor families were four times as likely to be in fair or poor health as children that were not poor";
(7) any major decision that would cost the economy of the United States millions of dollars and lead to serious negative health effects for the people of the United States should be debated and explicitly authorized by Congress, not approved by a Presidential memorandum or regulations; and
(8) any policy adopted by Congress should make United States energy as clean as practicable, as quickly as practicable, without increasing the cost of energy for struggling families, seniors, low-income households, and small businesses.
(b) Purposes.—The purposes of this Act are—
(1) to ensure that—
(A) a national energy tax is not imposed on the economy of the United States; and
(B) struggling families, seniors, low-income households, and small businesses do not experience skyrocketing electricity bills and joblessness;
(2) to protect the people of the United States, particularly families, seniors, and children, from the serious negative health effects of joblessness;
(3) to allow sufficient time for Congress to develop and authorize an appropriate mechanism to address the energy needs of the United States and the potential challenges posed by severe weather; and
(4) to restore the legislative process and congressional authority over the energy policy of the United States.
SEC. 3. PRESIDENTIAL MEMORANDUM.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the head of a Federal agency shall not promulgate any regulation relating to power sector carbon pollution standards or any substantially similar regulation on or after June 25, 2013, unless that regulation is explicitly authorized by an Act of Congress.
