I would like to point out before we go into questions that we did invite the EPA administrator, Gina McCarthy, to appear here and testify, and she declined.

President Obama, when he was a candidate, was talking about his proposed cap-and-trade policy. And he said, if enacted, because of his cap-and-trade proposal, electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket.

In the first two years of Obama Administration where they had a 60-vote filibuster-proof majority in the Senate.

If the Federal Government gets involved and claims jurisdiction over these things, you are concerned...

You were talking about how the agencies, particularly over time, have really become, I would say, a little more vague in their regulations because of that Chevron decision by the Supreme Court.

Maybe, that is a pretty good argument.

the Clean Power Plan is the centerpiece of the Obama Administration's intended environmental legacy, but the repercussions of this will devastate Wisconsin's economy for little or no benefit.

Currently, Wisconsin and 25 other States are seeking a stay of this illegal rule.

Costs will increase for our customers.

Is the Federal Government really more concerned about Wisconsin's environment than we are?

We have come a long way. And again, it is a goal, maintaining a clean environment, cleaning up even further, that we all really agree to.

Well, in my background memo, one of the things the staff listed for me a number of different standards.

But this EPA regulation is actually weaker than the one that was in effect up until 2001.

We all want a clean environment, something we all value, particularly here in the State of Wisconsin.

But again, those are costs. And those do get allocated into rates; correct?

You really do not need the Federal Government butting in and creating high levels of uncertainty.

This rule really expands what we think of as navigable waters to touch pretty much anything.

$37,000 per day could be the potential fines if you do not obtain the necessary permit.

I had written an oversight letter to Mr. Howard Shelanski, the administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, concerned about that.

Because we do actually have a law, the Antilobbying Act, makes it a Federal crime to use appropriated money to influence, quote, 'in any manner a Member of Congress, a jurisdiction, or an official of any government to favor, adopt, or…

But do you understand businesses and organizations are concerned that sometimes the Federal Government, even though they say they are not going to get involved, get involved in an awful lot and can do some definite overreaching?

good neighbor authority is really moving more toward the type of approval process, sort of the one-stop approval process

This is going to affect our economy in some way, shape, or form.

It is about opportunity. It is about giving people a choice. It is about giving people a chance.

I became involved and a strong supporter of school choice many years before I ran for the U.S. Senate.