Tom Carper

One of the things Senator Inhofe and I worked on together was to reduce diesel emissions.

Over a number of years, we have made real progress going back to when I think Jerry Ford was President and more recently since 2007, we have made real progress in reducing emissions.

There is a need here for a Federal role.

That is not good. That is not good.

I applaud the reduction in emissions that you talked about in your testimony.

Cooperative federalism means cooperation between the Federal Government and the States to solve problems.

These protections are critical for my home State of Delaware because we are located at the end of what I call 'America's tailpipe.'

The Clean Air Act requires EPA to partner with States to address air pollution, especially air pollution that crosses State borders.

Scott Pruitt has sullied the doctrine of cooperative federalism just as his disregard for EPA's mission has sullied the agency and his actions stand to sully our environment.

Pruitt's mission at EPA is cooperative corporatism, to serve the interests of the industry that has always backed him.

The Clean Power Plan is also critical to reducing the carbon emissions driving climate change.

Pruitt's desire to centralize decisionmaking in his own hands is not limited only to the Clean Air Act.

Pruitt is not really interested in cooperative with States. His real interest is in cooperating with corporations which have bankrolled his entire political career.

Pruitt's recent decision to water down corporate average fuel economy standards, the CAFE standards, is an example of how cooperative federalism, under Pruitt, really works.

Industrial espionage and theft are industrial espionage and theft, even when the criminal perpetrators are from a foreign country.

I am and have been for many years very, very concerned about what I view as an officially sanctioned and supported campaign by the Chinese government to, through cyber-attack, engage in industrial espionage and theft of American…

I just want to echo those sentiments.

Now, my second question was, what is the administration's position on restarting talks on the Trade in Services Agreement?

And I would just ask, what is the administration doing to take advantage of our comparative advantage in exporting services?

Focusing only on the trade in goods alone ignores the U.S. comparative advantage in services.

If the NRC can smoothly process licenses for accident tolerant fuel, is it possible that could serve as a signal from the NRC that we can find a way to process advanced reactors?

Is it possible that this technology could serve as a bridge to advanced reactors?

This technology can make fuel a lot safer?

I want to talk a little bit about accident tolerant fuels.

I think we are at a point where we should be leveling off.