Dallas -Today's vote on Sen. Lisa Murkowski's (R-Alaska) proposal to block EPA regulation on climate change could strike a blow for the rule of law by reestablishing Congress' sole jurisdiction over interstate commerce, according to H. Sterling Burnett, Senior Fellow with the National Center for Policy Analysis.
"Congress and Congress alone has been given the power in the Constitution to regulate interstate commerce," Burnett said. "Unless and until Congress decides to take action, the EPA should not be allowed to go forward with its power grab."
Burnett points out that the EPA's regulations are bad economic policy and would have a major impact on commerce.
"Allowing the EPA to move forward with agency climate rules would make energy more expensive, whether through taxes or regulation, hurting the poor and small businesses the most," Burnett said. "It's never a good time to employ bad economic policy, but in the midst of a recession, it's an especially bad time for this type of foolishness."
Murkowski's effort to undo the endangerment finding under the Congressional Review Act would require 51 votes to clear the chamber. If Senator Murkowski's resolution does not pass we will be subject to accepting bad policies just to avoid worse ones, Burnett said.
"It's very unlikely that greenhouse gas emissions endanger human health based on scientific evidence," Burnett said. "But even if it did, greenhouse gas controls are not in the hands of the U.S. but in the hands of China, India, Brazil, and other fast growing economies in the developing world, none of which would be affected by the EPA's regulations."
"The EPA's efforts are simply a form of extortion by the Obama administration – trying to strong-arm Congress into passing an energy tax bill," Burnett said. "The Democratic leadership in the House and Senate should be ashamed of themselves for backing the President's strong arm tactics. It's time to put American's first and environmental extremists last."