{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398632", "Congressman Griffith's Weekly E-Newsletter 10.3.16", "2016-10-03", "2016", "2016-10", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Shame on EPA Again!\r\nNotwithstanding a lack of legal authority, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently created new rules under the Clean Air Act.\u00a0 These rules attempt to regulate the trailers which are usually used with tractors. This rule is a part of their new regulations on motor vehicle fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.\r\nThe law grants EPA the ability to regulate \u201cair pollutant from any class or classes of new motor vehicles or motor vehicle engines\u201d (42 USC 7521(a)).\u00a0 \r\nSo the question becomes does the law give them the right to regulate anything connected with the use of a motor vehicle?\u00a0 When determining the law, it is a settled legal principle that you first look to the plain meaning of the words in the statue.\u00a0 Under the Clean Air Act, the definition of motor vehicle would control.\u00a0 I don\u2019t think it takes a Harvard trained lawyer to understand the meaning of this section: \r\n42 USC 7550(2) \r\nThe term \u201cmotor vehicle\u201d means any self-propelled vehicle designed for transporting persons or property on a street or highway.\r\nHowever, at a recent Energy and Commerce Committee hearing, I questioned how the EPA could have considered a trailer to be a self-propelled vehicle.\u00a0 EPA Administrator Janet McCabe justified their authority by claiming trailers are eligible because \u201cwithout a trailer, a truck is not transporting goods.\u201d\r\nShe continued, \u201cAnd so we see the trailer as an integral part of the vehicle that is covered in the Clean Air Act.\u201d\u00a0 \r\nInteresting!\r\nSince currently the truck cannot drive itself, isn\u2019t the driver an integral part of the truck that is transporting goods as well?\u00a0 Under the EPA\u2019s theory, are they saying they believe they have authority to regulate the height, weight, and size of the driver?\r\nAs ridiculous as this sounds, drivers would qualify under the same theory that the EPA is currently using to claim it has the power to regulate the trailer portion of a tractor trailer. \u00a0Despite the lengthy legal memoranda the EPA produced to argue their position, it is clear that neither the trailer, nor the driver, under the definition above (42 USC 7550(2)), is a self-propelled motor vehicle. \r\nThe plain meaning of the code is clear.\u00a0 If the EPA wants to include trailers in their emission reducing requirements, they should request Congress amend the code section.\u00a0 \r\nThe EPA cannot independently reinterpret parts of a law that are inconvenient.\u00a0 The EPA is not elected to change or create new laws; this is the job of Congress.\u00a0 \r\nFurthermore, the manufacturers of the trailers are generally separate entities from the truck manufactures.\u00a0 Volvo Trucks of Dublin makes tractors, but they don\u2019t make trailers.\u00a0 Utility Trailers (Glade Spring and Atkins) don\u2019t make trucks, they only make trailers.\r\nI suspect the EPA knows their legal reasoning is not sound.\u00a0 The EPA passes a regulation, claiming they have authority when often they don\u2019t.\u00a0 This forces American manufactures to sue at the cost of lost productivity and millions of dollars.\u00a0 Manufacturers sometimes throw up their hands in frustration and capitulate, even though they know the EPA is overreaching.\r\nShame on you, EPA.\r\nShimon Peres\r\nOn Wednesday, September 28, at the age of 93, Shimon Peres passed away after a lifetime of service to his country.\u00a0 He was a founder of the State of Israel and regarded as a prominent leader in the development of Israel\u2019s strong defense.\u00a0 Peres was also the Ninth President of Israel, the Prime Minister, a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, and founder of the Peres Center for Peace.\u00a0 \r\nPeres was highly regarded around the world for his persistent efforts to improve relations between the Israelis and Palestinians.\u00a0 \r\nI was fortunate to meet with him during a visit to his peace institute in Israel several years ago.\u00a0 Among other initiatives, the center brings Palestinian and Israeli children together for activities such as soccer, to foster understanding of the opposing cultures.\u00a0 \r\nOften in life when people are able to actually interact with each other, although they may disagree, they no longer view the other as the enemy.\u00a0 Instead, they see one another as people.\u00a0 Peres was devoted to implementing this belief.\r\nThe current Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, although a political rival, noted in a statement on his passing, \u201cShimon devoted his life to our nation and to the pursuit of peace.\u00a0 He set his gaze on the future.\u00a0 He did so much to protect our people.\u00a0 He worked to his last days for peace and a better future for all.\u201d\u00a0 \r\nI am sorry for Israel\u2019s loss of this great man. \r\nIf you have questions, concerns, or comments, feel free to contact my office.\u00a0 You can call my Abingdon office at 276-525-1405 or my Christiansburg office at 540-381-5671.\u00a0 To reach my office via email, please visit my website at www.morgangriffith.house.gov.\u00a0\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": ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398632"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9306780993938446, "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"}