{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=a8c2bc4b-b9f6-4d11-9012-06f4cdc30c1a", "COCHRAN BACKS BILL TO STOP OBAMA ENERGY REGULATION THREAT", "2013-07-24", "2013", "2013-07", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Asserting that smothering U.S. energy production with new regulations is not conducive to a prospering economy, U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today announced his support for legislation to block the President Obama\u2019s efforts to impose new environmental regulations on power plants.\r\nCochran is cosponsoring the National Energy Tax Repeal Act (S.1324), a measure that would prohibit President Obama from issuing new carbon emissions standards through a Presidential Memorandum for existing coal fired power plants.\u00a0 The measure would require specific approval from Congress before the Obama administration, through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) could move forward with such regulations.\r\n\u201cFor all the talk about helping the middle class, it will be family budgets and small business bottom lines that take the hit from the far-reaching energy regulations planned by the President.\u00a0 The costs associated with these rules amount to a new tax on energy,\u201d Cochran said.\u00a0 \u201cMississippians are already paying high prices at the pump, and now the administration wants to raise their power bills.\u201d\r\n\u201cThis bill affirms that responsibility to direct such restrictions lies with Congress, and cannot be assumed by the Environmental Protection Agency unless authorized by the elected representatives of the people,\u201d the Mississippi Senator said.\r\nIn June, President Obama declared that he would issue a Presidential Memorandum directing the EPA to issue stricter carbon emissions regulations for existing coal fired power plants.\u00a0 In addition, the administration has since indicated it expects to move forward with other regulations, including delayed rules on new power plants.\r\nThe Senate bill states that \u201cany action to control emissions of greenhouse gases from existing coal fired power plants in the United States by mandating a national energy tax would devastate major sectors of the economy, cost thousands of jobs, and increase energy costs for low-income households, small businesses, and seniors on a fixed income.\u201d\r\nS.1324 has been referred to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.\u00a0 The measure was introduced by Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and is also cosponsored by Senators Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.).\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "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://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=a8c2bc4b-b9f6-4d11-9012-06f4cdc30c1a"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.8119241576641798, "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"}