Johanns Statement on the President’s Global Warming Proposal

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Johanns (R-Neb.) today made the following statement on President Obama’s speech, which calls for action that could further delay approval of the Keystone XL pipeline and imposes costly new regulations through executive order, including plans to regulate greenhouse gas emissions on existing power plants for the first time in U.S. history:

“This is more than a war on coal and energy, it’s a war on family budgets and American jobs,” Johanns said. “By imposing costly regulations, the President is in effect raising electricity costs for every home, small business and manufacturing company in America, who all depend on affordable energy.
“I’m also disappointed in the President’s announcement that he is again moving the goalposts on the Keystone XL pipeline. With so many Americans out of work and America in need of new energy supplies, it’s unfortunate the President is holding hostage a project that would bring both. There’s no reason to continue delaying construction of this important project.
“At a time when his overreach is under review by our highest court, the President stomps on the gas instead of applying the brakes. Cutting Congress out of the process in order to enact job-killing policies that will send electric bills through the roof is going to further harm both his credibility and his waning popularity.”