WASHINGTON, DC -- Representative Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Chairman of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming and a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, released the following statement in reaction to draft legislation that will be considered at a hearing in the Energy and Commerce Committee’s Energy and Air Quality Subcommittee this Thursday:
Rep. Markey said, “I am very concerned about preempting the rights of states to set strong standards to save energy and reduce global warming pollution, and even more concerned that this legislation nullifies the recent supreme court ruling in Massachusetts vs. EPA that confirmed EPA’s authority to set federal greenhouse gas standards for motor vehicles. Moreover, the fuel economy portion of the legislation is even weaker than the goals proposed by president bush. If we aren't careful we could end up making our situation worse, not better.”