Rep. Capito Introduces Listen to Americans First Act

Press Release

While the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has ignored repeated requests from U.S. Representative Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) to come to West Virginia to discuss coal regulations, EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy arrived in China Monday to discuss greenhouse gas standards.

Prompted by the EPA's refusal to listen to the country's coal-producing and coal-consuming states, Rep. Capito introduced the Listen to Americans First Act. This legislation, H.R. 3684, would prohibit the use of taxpayer dollars for any foreign travel by the EPA administrator until a public listening session is held in each of the 15 states that generated the highest percentage of electricity from coal in 2012.

The EPA has held 11 public listening sessions regarding its upcoming greenhouse gas emission rule targeting existing power plants. None of these listening sessions were held in any of the 10 states that generated the highest percentage of electricity from coal. Rep. Capito has repeatedly asked the EPA to come to West Virginia and other coal-powered states.

"It should go without saying that U.S. government agencies should take the time to listen to Americans before they set off to travel the world. While the administration may think they can ignore the voices of heartland Americans, this important legislation will remind the administration that all Americans deserve a voice -- not just those in cities such as San Francisco, Seattle and New York City.

"I am deeply disappointed in Administrator McCarthy for prioritizing traveling to Beijing over traveling to Beckley, Charleston, Madison or Moundsville. West Virginians and others living in coal-producing states work hard to provide our country with affordable energy, and they deserve the respect of at least being acknowledged by this administration."

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