E-Newsletter

Last week before a Republican Conference meeting, a wonderful brass quintet from the U.S. Air Force Band was playing.  As I was entering the room, they were playing one of the more popular songs of the World War I era, “Over There” written by George M. Cohan, a versatile playwright, composer, singer, dancer, producer, etc. 

They followed that well-known song with another Cohan classic, “(I’m a) Yankee Doodle Dandy” or “The Yankee Doodle Boy.”  Most recall the lyrics:

I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy,
A Yankee Doodle, do or die;
A real live nephew of my Uncle Sam,
Born on the Fourth of July.

At many Fourth of July festivities across the Ninth District, people will hear some of Cohan’s patriotic music.  He was very proud to be an American – as NPR noted, “…he's the one who put the word ‘American’ in front of musical comity.”  Like Cohan, I am proud to be an American. 

Each year around Independence Day, I reflect on the founding of these United States, celebrate our nation’s birth, admire the work of the Founding Fathers where they got it right, and recognize that they knew they were mere men and they wouldn’t get everything right.  But they did one fine job.  And the principles which they set forth still make this nation great.

Protecting Ratepayers and States – An Update

For many, last week’s Supreme Court decisions were disappointing.  Last week’s opinions were not the first time I haven’t agreed with or understood the opinions of this Supreme Court, nor, I fear, will they be the last time the Supreme Court leaves me scratching my head in wonderment.

However, I will give credit where credit is due.  The Supreme Court on June 29 told the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that they have to consider costs of regulations of the Clean Air Act before deciding to adopt them.  Their ruling requires the EPA to consider costs as they continue to implement the rules requiring power plants to cut emissions of mercury, etc.

This ruling, in my opinion, not only will require the EPA to revise the regulations dealt with in this specific case but will also require EPA to review the costs and benefits of other regulations, including the ‘Clean Power Plan’ regulations expected to be finalized later this summer.

Unfortunately, the bad news is the Supreme Court finding the EPA had not acted properly will not result in the reopening of American Electric Power’s Glen Lyn plant in Giles County.  We don’t get the jobs back, nor do we get the electricity provided by this facility and used at peak periods.  That electric generation unit and one of three at Appalachian Power’s Clinch River facility in Russell County are closed forever by a regulation the Supreme Court found invalid.

This is, I believe, a strategy by the EPA: create regulations and pretend you have authority, knowing, by the time the Supreme Court finds you don’t have authority, that the damage to American manufacturers and American families’ pocketbooks will have already been done.  The EPA gets their way, even if it is unlawful.

The same is true for the proposed ‘Clean Power Plan’ rules. 

This is precisely why we need the Ratepayer Protection Act, (H.R. 2042), which passed the House of Representatives on June 24.  This bill, among other things, would allow for completion of judicial review of any final rule in the ‘Clean Power Plan’ before states are required to comply with its implementation.  Additionally, states would not be forced to implement a state or federal plan if its governor has determined it would significantly harm energy reliability or affordability. 

Put more simply, it would guarantee that EPA cannot play this game again.

I am honored to have worked to advance the Ratepayer Protection Act with Chairman Ed Whitfield (R-KY), Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-GA), and Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN).  While House passage is an important step, I encourage the Senate to take up, debate, and pass the Ratepayer Protection Act, and join us in protecting states and ratepayers.

If you have questions, concerns, or comments, feel free to contact my office.  You can call my Abingdon office at 276-525-1405 or my Christiansburg office at 540-381-5671.  To reach my office via email, please visit my website at www.morgangriffith.house.gov.  Also on my website is the latest material from my office, including information on votes recently taken on the floor of the House of Representatives.

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