Jerry Moran: “The gentleman's amendment stops funding for--and I will quote--the Environmental Appeals Board to consider review…”

“The gentleman's amendment stops funding for--and I will quote--the Environmental Appeals Board to consider review, reject, remand, or otherwise invalidate any permit issued for Outer Continental Shelf sources located offshore of the States along the Arctic coast. Now, the gentleman has shared with us a specific situation, but his amendment goes considerably beyond that. The appeals board is the final decisionmaker on administrative appeals under all major environmental statutes that the Environmental Protection Agency administers. It's an impartial body, independent of all agency components outside the immediate office of the administrator. To support this amendment is to take away people's right to petition their government. This is an impartial board that looks out for the regular citizen. In fact, they just took great care and ruled on the side of Alaskans and courageously ruled against EPA's issuance of a permit to Shell Oil. I thought the gentleman and his side of the aisle would take sincere joy in any decision ruling against EPA. But that's not the case, apparently.”