Congressman Randy Weber (R-Friendswood) introduced H.R. 5665, the Clear the Air with Congress Act of 2014. This legislation would simply require that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) report to Congress on the impact of any new ozone regulations, as well as the data used to reach its conclusions, before it can propose such a regulation. It will also require that before the regulation can take effect, Congress would have to pass a law to implement it. Later this year, the EPA is widely expected to propose a costly new regulation to lower the current ozone standard from 75 parts per billion to as low as 60.

“The EPA’s proposal would put nearly the entire country out of compliance, and raise costs for job creators across Texas. According to the National Association of Manufacturers, this regulation would increase energy costs for Texas families and reduce family incomes in an amount equal to 182,000 lost jobs to our state. Our state has done a good job balancing the need for a clean environment and a growing economy. The time has come that the EPA adopt that same approach.

Because ozone can be naturally occurring and can travel here from other countries, many communities will never be able to comply. The EPA must be held accountable as it proposes standards that negatively impact livelihoods and are impossible to achieve. This legislation is a simple and straightforward message to the EPA that government bureaucrats cannot propose costly new regulations without any accountability from the American people.”

Original co-sponsors of this legislation include: Rep. Lamar Smith (TX-22), Rep. Pete Sessions (TX-32), Rep. Blake Farenthold (TX-27), Rep. Kevin Brady (TX-08), Rep. John Carter (TX-31), and Rep. Sam Johnson (TX-03).

To read the full bill text click here.

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