Alex Padilla: “on May 19, 2025, I provided a statement for the Record of my intent to object to the Senate proceeding to any of the…”

“on May 19, 2025, I provided a statement for the Record of my intent to object to the Senate proceeding to any of the four nominations currently pending on the Senate's Executive Calendar for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA. Today, I am reaffirming those four objections and stating my intent to object to the Senate proceeding to three additional EPA nominations, if and when they are added to the Senate's Executive Calendar. I do not raise these objections lightly. I recognize the importance of Federal Agencies having qualified leadership, regardless of which party is in charge. In several cases, I have voted in favor of reporting the current administration's nominees out of committee and to confirm them on the Senate floor, notwithstanding the political and policy differences that we may have. But the Senate's constitutional role to advise and consent regarding executive branch nominations is an important check on Agency leadership's abuse and overreach and raising these objections regarding EPA nominations is my duty on behalf of people of the State of California. I am objecting to expedited consideration of EPA nominees in response to the Trump Administration EPA's abuse of the Congressional Review Act--CRA--by submitting three waivers issued to the State of California to Congress and claiming they are 'rules' under the CRA despite the Government Accountability Office's clear determination they are not.”