Pallone, Bipartisan Group of Current & Former Senators & House Members Join to File Amicus Brief In Support of President Obama's Clean Power Plan

Statement

Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), Senior Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, joined 44 current and former Senators and 164 current and former House Members to file an amicus brief in support of the Obama administration's historic "Clean Power Plan' (CPP). As the Democratic Leader of the committee with jurisdiction over the Clean Power Plan and the Clean Air Act, Pallone led the effort on the brief in the House. The CPP will reduce carbon pollution and address climate change, save consumers $155 billion by 2030, create jobs, and prevent 90,000 childhood asthma attacks through 2030‎. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit is considering a challenge to the rule in West Virginia et al. v. Environmental Protection Agency. The full text of the amicus brief can be found here and a full list of the 208 current and former members of Congress that signed can be found below.

"My colleagues and I joined this brief because we have a moral obligation to take action on climate change. The Clean Power Plan outlines a path to cleaner air, better health, a safer climate, and a stronger economy," said Pallone. "Congress specifically equipped EPA with the necessary tools to address current air pollution problems and ones that may arise in the future. It is EPA's responsibility to control air pollution to protect public health and welfare, and the Clean Power Plan is well within this authority."

The amicus brief, filed by current and formers of Congress today, argues that the Clean Power Plan rule is consistent with the text, structure, and legislative history of the Clean Air Act (CAA). Further, it argues that the rule is consistent with the goal of the CAA to "protect the Nation's air resources so as to promote the public health and welfare and the productive capacity of its population." Indeed, according to the brief, the Supreme Court has already affirmed that the EPA has clear authority to combat carbon pollution and regulate greenhouse gasses under Massachusetts v. EPA and American Electric Power v. Connecticut.

While Congressional Republicans continue to refuse to acknowledge the existence of climate change and do the bidding of special interests who seek to stop action on climate change, a bipartisan group of current and former members of Congress and a broad coalition that includes legal experts, environmental groups, states and cities, and businesses including energy companies recognize the necessity and legality of the CPP, which will protect public health, and grow the clean energy economy of the future. A failure to act on climate change will also lead to more frequent extreme weather -- from more severe droughts and wildfires in the west, to rising sea levels and more powerful storms along New Jersey's coastline.

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