Jim Webb: “I rise today in somewhat regrettable opposition to the resolution offered by the Senior Senator from Alaska. I do not…”

“I rise today in somewhat regrettable opposition to the resolution offered by the Senior Senator from Alaska. I do not believe this is about big oil. This is not about oilspills. It is not about people who like dirty air. It is about the extent to which the executive branch in our government can act without the clear expression of intent from this Congress. I appreciate Senator Murkowski's efforts to illuminate this issue further in front of our body. Like Senator Murkowski, I have expressed deep reservations about the consequences of the endangerment finding on carbon dioxide and five other greenhouse gases that the Environmental Protection Agency issued on December 7, 2009. As many of us in this body well know, without proper boundaries, this finding could be the first step in a long and expensive regulatory process that could inevitably lead to overly stringent and very costly controls on carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions. This regulatory framework is so broad and potentially far reaching that it could eventually touch nearly every facet of this nation's economy, putting unnecessary burdens on our industries and driving many businesses overseas purely at the discretion of the executive branch and absent the clearly stated intent of the Congress.”