Providing for Congressional Disapproval of the Rule Submitted By the Environmental Protection Agency Relating to ``Review of Final Rule Reclassification of Major Sources As Area Sources Under Section 112 of the Clean Air Act''

Floor Speech

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Mrs. FEDORCHAK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of my resolution to repeal the Biden administration's eleventh hour reinstatement of the ``once in, always in'' rule and to counter some of the misinformation being shared on this rule by my colleagues on the other side.

I am a mom of three. When my kids were growing up, they woke up every Saturday morning to a job list, and they couldn't get their allowance until they completed the jobs on the list. They were motivated to get their jobs done by that allowance, and I would have had very little luck incentivizing them to do their jobs if they never received their promised reward.

This is a law of human nature. People respond to incentives and rewards, which underscores the main problem with the ``once in, always in'' rule. There is no incentive to invest.

This misguided regulation permanently classifies certain industrial facilities as major sources, major sources of hazardous air pollutants even after they have made significant investments to reduce the emissions below the Federal threshold.

Mr. Speaker, think about that for a minute. They invest millions of dollars to modernize their operations, improve efficiency, and reduce emissions only for the Federal Government to permanently classify their business as a major source, stuck with the same costly regulations.

That is not smart policy. That is counterproductive. By refusing to let businesses reclassify after making progress, after meeting the standards, this rule removes any real incentive to invest in cleaner technologies.

Our energy producers in North Dakota have invested $2 billion in emissions control technology. They have done this because they care about our communities and environment. In fact, North Dakota exports thousands of megawatts of electricity every year.

We are the third largest oil- and gas-producing State in the Nation, and we are one of only four States in the Nation that has never violated Federal air quality standards. That is not an accident. That is the result of smart investments, cutting-edge technology, and a commitment to responsible energy production.

North Dakota is proof that we can grow the economy, power the country, and protect the environment at the same time.

This bureaucratic rule ignores these successful efforts. It removes the incentive to innovate and locks facilities into restrictive regulations, even when they are trying to reduce emissions and operate more efficiently.

It is not just a problem for North Dakota. This rule affects manufacturers, energy producers, and small businesses all over the country. This approach raises costs, discourages innovation, and forces companies to think twice before making long-term investments in cleaner technologies.

This is not how to build a stronger economy or a cleaner future, and it is not how to make things more affordable for Americans.

Our Nation's energy future should be driven by innovation. American technological innovation have allowed us to reduce emissions more than any other Nation since 2005, all while achieving record energy production.

We need a regulatory framework that incentivizes innovation and rewards it when it happens. That means eliminating one-size-fits-all regulations like the ``once in, always in'' rule.

Supporting this resolution means supporting American energy jobs, lower prices, and fostering a regulatory environment where businesses can thrive while safeguarding the environment.

I want to underscore that this resolution is not about allowing facilities to maintain high pollutant levels. It is about incentivizing them to reduce emissions and rewarding them when they do. That is how we both expand energy production and protect our environment.

I thank Senator John Curtis of Utah for his leadership on this resolution in the Senate, and I urge my colleagues in the House to support this resolution.

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