Jim Inhofe

I think it is a matter of saving lives.

I think an answer is yes, we do have an all of the above but you have to put the economics in there also.

During that Administration, when I would travel around Oklahoma, constituents would be amazed at the fact that we had a President who was opposed to fossil fuels, coal, oil, and gas, and I might add, nuclear.

I think it is of utmost importance that we continue to work diligently to provide economical and affordable energy to everyone.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Is there anyone on this panel who believes you can do away entirely with fossil fuels and nuclear and still run the machine called America?

If you stop and think about the fact that 80 percent of the energy that runs this country falls into those categories, coal, oil, gas, and nuclear. If you extract that, how do you run this machine called America?

One of the great things this President has done is all the CRAs, Congressional Review Acts, and I am proud that mine was the first one that had a signing ceremony.

If there was ever a joke, that is it.

So, I just want to observe, Mr. Eisenberg, all the things that are happening right now.

I have never seen a time when someone in the jurisdiction of a Committee refused to testify.

They are there lining up to see who can get the most money out of the system.

China, right now, every 10 days comes out with a new coal fired energy plant.

I know that concern is there.

The issue reminds me of the EPA's mercury rule that the Supreme Court overturned in 2015 because the agency did not take the cost of the rule into account.

First of all, I support all four of the bills. In fact, I am a co-sponsor of all four of the bills, including yours, Madam Chairman.

They are all small. We don't have the giants; they are small businesses, family owned businesses, the kind we really encourage.

The EPA's language makes it possible for them to do so, don't you think?

We can actually use American technology to clean up the emissions and do so in a cost effective way and get a lot of partners involved and not only create jobs but tens of thousands of jobs.

First of all, right now I don't think I will ask any questions of Andrew Wheeler since he worked with me and for me for 14 years.

We have had 8 years of an Administration that does not want fossil fuels, coal, oil, and gas, and does not want nuclear.

I have to say there is no one in this room right now, or no one at this table, who knows Andrew Wheeler better and loves him more than I do.

I appreciate that very much. My time has expired.

If well over 80 percent of the energy it takes to run America is either fossil fuels or nuclear, and you extract that from all of the above, how do you run the machine called America?

The bottom line is, in looking at this, you have been very successful in accomplishing those things for the Texas CEQ.