{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://schweikert.house.gov/2013/12/06/rep-schweikert-releases-letter-epa-administrator-challenging-lackluster/", "Rep. Schweikert Releases Letter to EPA Administrator Challenging Lackluster \u201cListening Tour\u201d", "2013-12-06", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "AZ", "David Schweikert", "S001183", "schweikert.house.gov", "schweikert", "https://schweikert.house.gov/category/congress_press_release/", "scraper", "Washington D.C., December 6, 2013\u2014Rep. David Schweikert (R-AZ) and members of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee released a letter today sent to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy expressing \u201cserious concerns with the lack of balance and transparency in the Environmental Protection Agency\u2019s (EPA) public outreach process associated with forthcoming greenhouse gas regulations for existing power plants.\u201d\n\n\u201cOn September 30, EPA announced a \u2018listening session tour\u2019 to \u2018solicit ideas and input from the public and stakeholders about the best Clean Air Act approaches\u2019 to regulating existing power plants,\u201d the letter reads. \u201cIt is our understanding that EPA did not transcribe, webcast, or otherwise record the comments presented at the 11 listening sessions. If there is no record of what was said, it\u2019s unclear how the Agency can claim the sessions were designed for the purpose of \u2018helping EPA develop smart, cost-effective guidelines.\u2019 While EPA did allow written comments to be submitted at the sessions, many if not most presenters gave only oral remarks. In addition, it is our understanding that EPA does not intend to make public the written comments that were submitted.\u201d\n\nThe letter concluded, \u201cWe recognize that we have significant policy differences when it comes to these rules. However, there are clearly areas of opportunity for cooperation. Ultimately, the credibility of EPA decisions in these areas will be greatly enhanced if the American people can trust the process through which such decisions are reached. We look forward to working with you to make this happen.\u201d\n\n\u201cArizona is home to power plants providing energy to our businesses and families across the state. Each plant supplies jobs and opportunities for business growth,\u201d added Schweikert. \u201cInitiating changes in policy and regulations without public opinion in areas affected most by those changes is an insult to the American people and Arizonans especially.\u201d\n\nMembers who joined with Schweikert in signing the letter include: Reps. Chris Steward (R-UT), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Larry Bucshon (R-Indiana), Steven Palazzo (R-MS), Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI), Thomas Massie (R-KY), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), and Jim Bridenstine (R-OK).\n\nFull PDF can be read here.\n\n###\n\nContact Maggie Zehring: margaret.zehring@mail.house.gov\n\nBack to News", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T22:40:02Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://schweikert.house.gov/2013/12/06/rep-schweikert-releases-letter-epa-administrator-challenging-lackluster/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.0320148430764675, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}