Key Vote: Pruitt Nomination

Today the Senate is expected to vote on the nomination of Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to serve as the next Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The American Energy Alliance (AEA) urges all Senators to vote YES on Mr. Pruitt’s nomination.

As Oklahoma’s Attorney General, Pruitt has consistently fought to protect Oklahoma families and communities from federal intrusion and has been a stalwart defender of the rule of law. Notably, Mr. Pruitt led a multi-state effort opposing the EPA’s unlawful attempt to take over the nation’s electricity grid under section 111(d) of the Clean Air Act. This regulation would shutter an estimated 40 GW of reliable and affordable energy, unnecessarily harming American families for little to no environmental benefit.

Mr. Pruitt also stood up for states, families, and the Constitution by opposing the Obama Administration’s overreaching “Waters of the United States” regulation. This rule was so invasive that even small ponds and waterways on family farms would have been subject to federal regulation. Mr. Pruitt filed suit against the EPA, refusing to subject Oklahomans and other Americans to this unconstitutional regulation without exhausting all legal pathways.

Mr. Pruitt respects and upholds the Constitution and recognizes that the best way to protect our environment is not through federal diktats, but through a system where the EPA cooperates with states and local communities. As he explained in his confirmation hearing:

“Environmental law, policy, and progress are all based on cooperation: cooperation between the States, cooperation between the States and EPA, and cooperation between the regulators and the public. Such cooperation is essential because clean air and water and a healthy environment are essential to the American way of life and key to our economic success and competitiveness.”

In other words, the federal government is not the end-all, be-all solution. Empowering states to address their own environmental concerns promotes responsiveness, instills accountability, and ensures that the people closest to the issues and with the most local knowledge have the resources they need.

Mr. Pruitt has a stellar record of fighting for families and communities in Oklahoma and upholding the rule of law. As Administrator, he will reset energy and environmental policy in ways that will grow the economy, improve the environment, and make life better for the American people. Senators should vote YES on Scott Pruitt’s nomination to lead the EPA. AEA will include this confirmation vote in its American Energy Scorecard.