DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA — Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, the senior Republican in the United States Senate, issued the following statement on the confirmation of Scott Pruitt to serve as the Administrator of the Environment Protection Agency:
“Mr. Pruitt wants an EPA that is both pro-environment and pro-growth. He understands that protecting our lands and helping our businesses succeed is not a zero-sum game. With Mr. Pruitt at the helm, I am confident he will bring much-needed change to the EPA and restore the public’s trust in the agency.”
Prior to the confirmation vote, Hatch spoke on the floor about urging his Senate colleagues to support Pruitt’s confirmation.
The full text of his remarks follow:
Mme. President, I rise today to speak in support of the nomination of Attorney General Scott Pruitt for Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. Attorney General Pruitt has a distinguished record of public service, having served for eight years in the Oklahoma State Senate before being sworn in as the Attorney General of Oklahoma in 2010.
Two dozen state attorneys general wrote to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works supporting Mr. Pruitt’s nomination. He has been endorsed by a wide variety of organizations representing a broad swath of American culture and industry, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Home Builders, the American Farm Bureau Federation, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, the Western Energy Alliance, and the Western Growers Association, just to name a few.
In his capacity as state Attorney General, Mr. Pruitt has consistently fought against federal intrusion on state and individual liberties, and he has shown himself to be a thoughtful attorney dedicated to the Constitution and to the rule of law. The next Administrator of the EPA must respect the limits of federal power. Few know these limits better than Mr. Pruitt, which is why I believe he will be a capable leader at the EPA. Mr. Pruitt will rein in federal overreach and put a stop to many of the overbearing regulations that have done little to protect the environment but much to hurt businesses large and small.
Modernization of the Environmental Protection Agency is long overdue. For too long, the EPA has acted outside its legal authority. For too long, the agency has strayed from its core mission of protecting human health and the environment. For too long, it has imposed draconian regulations that cause undue harm to America’s small businesses and rural communities. I have long held that the EPA can fulfill its vitally important mission of protecting the environment without causing unnecessary harm to the economy. But to achieve this objective will require a massive culture change at the agency—a culture change that only Mr. Pruitt can bring.
Mr. Pruitt wants an EPA that is both pro-environment and pro-growth. He understands that protecting our lands and helping our businesses succeed is not a zero-sum game. With Mr. Pruitt at the helm, I am confident he will bring much-needed change to the EPA and restore the public’s trust in the agency.
Once confirmed, I am eager to work with Mr. Pruitt to discuss how we can best protect our air and water and how we can best modernize the EPA.
Content of this report provided by the Office of Sen. Orrin Hatch.
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