{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://lamarsmith.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/chairman-smith-epa-muzzling-scientists", "Chairman Smith: EPA Muzzling Scientists", "2013-12-19", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Lamar Smith", "S000583", "lamarsmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) along with all 20 Republican committee members today sent a letter to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy highlighting serious problems with the agency\u2019s proposed New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for power plants.\u00a0 Specifically, the Committee members pointed out that any EPA rule requiring the capture of carbon must address where the carbon is stored. \u00a0\nRecently, the Work Group charged with reviewing EPA\u2019s major regulatory actions recommended a review of the science underpinning the newest power plant rule.\u00a0 The 88-page recommendation highlighted the fact that EPA rushed ahead with its NSPS proposal without waiting for the advice of the agency\u2019s independent scientists and that the underlying science lacked adequate peer review.\u00a0 However, when these problems were raised, a senior official at EPA deflected the scientists criticisms by claiming that the rule doesn\u2019t need to address carbon dioxide storage.\n\u201cWe are concerned about the agency\u2019s apparent disregard for the concerns of its science advisors,\u201d the lawmakers wrote. \u201cScience is a valuable tool to help policymakers navigate complex issues.\u00a0 However, when inconvenient facts are disregarded or when dissenting voices are muzzled, a frank discussion becomes impossible. The EPA cannot continue to rush ahead with costly regulations without allowing time for a real-world look at the science.\u201d\n\u201cThe claim that the rule doesn\u2019t need to address storage concerns highlights your agency\u2019s continued lack of transparency and consistent attempts to avoid accountability,\u201d the Congressmen wrote. \u201cThe EPA\u2019s proposed power plant regulations will put Americans out of work and will make electricity more expensive and less reliable.\u00a0 It is misleading and dangerous for EPA to quietly dismiss inconvenient facts and ignore the consequences of its costly regulations.\u00a0 Americans deserve honesty.\u201d Chairman Smith was joined by the following Republican members in sending today\u2019s letter: Reps. Jim Bridenstine (R-Okla.), Mo Brooks\u00a0 (R-Ala.), Paul Broun (R-Ga.), Larry Bucshon (R-Ind.), Chris Collins (R-N.Y.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Ralph M. Hall (R-Texas), Randy Hultgren (R-Ill.), Frank D. Lucas (R-Okla.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.),\u00a0 Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), Michael T. McCaul (R-Texas), Randy Neugebauer (R-Texas), Steven Palazzo (R-Miss.), Bill Posey (R-Fla.), Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.), David Schweikert (R-Ariz.),\u00a0 Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.), Steve Stockman (R-Texas), and Randy Weber (R-Texas) The full letter can be found here.", 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": ["http://lamarsmith.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/chairman-smith-epa-muzzling-scientists"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.996080158278346, "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"}