February 27, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 36 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Pages S1509-S1510]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             CLOTURE MOTION

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. There will now be 2 minutes of debate, equally 
divided, prior to the cloture vote.
  The Senator from Wyoming.
  Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, it is time to vote on the nomination of 
Andrew Wheeler to be the Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
Agency.
  For the past year, Andrew Wheeler has served as the Senate-confirmed 
Deputy Administrator of the EPA, and for the past 7 months, he has 
served as the Acting Administrator. He has done an admirable job in 
charge of the EPA.
  Under his leadership, the EPA has put forward commonsense proposals 
to roll back punishing regulations and still protect America's air and 
water. He is committed to protecting both human health and the 
environment.
  Andrew Wheeler's qualifications are without question. He has spent 
decades working in environmental policy at the EPA itself, here on 
Capitol Hill, and as a consultant to environmental and energy clients.
  President Trump picked the right person to lead the Environmental 
Protection Agency when he nominated Andrew Wheeler. It is time for the 
Senate to confirm him to this important post.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Delaware.
  Mr. CARPER. Mr. President, I rise in opposition to the nomination of 
Andrew Wheeler as the Administrator of the EPA. Under the provisions of 
the Federal Vacancies Act, Mr. Wheeler can continue to lead the EPA 
until August 7 of this year.
  Rushing to judgment on his nomination will close the window of 
opportunity the Senate has now to ensure that he reverses course on a 
handful of important policies that protect our planet while creating 
American jobs.
  I am not calling for delay for delay's sake. We have 161 days to 
ensure that Mr. Wheeler withdraws his proposal to put the mercury and 
air toxics standards rule in legal jeopardy. We have 161 days to hear 
him say that he supports Senate ratification of a treaty that phases 
out harmful HFCs while creating jobs. We have 161 days to ensure that 
he negotiates with a coalition, including California and 12 other 
States, on vehicle fuel efficiency standards and greenhouse gas 
emissions while giving the auto industry the certainty they need.
  While progress is being made on these important issues, I am asking 
my colleagues to vote no today on cloture on the motion to proceed to 
this nomination.
  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, after careful consideration, I have 
decided to oppose the confirmation of Andrew Wheeler, the nominee for 
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA.
  While Mr. Wheeler is certainly qualified for this position, I have 
too many concerns with the actions he has taken during his tenure as 
Acting Administrator to be able to support his promotion. I believe 
that Mr. Wheeler, unlike Scott Pruitt, understands the mission of the 
EPA and acts in accordance with ethical standards; however, the 
policies he has supported as Acting Administrator are not in the best 
interest of our environment and public health, particularly given the 
threat of climate change to our Nation.
  I met at length with Mr. Wheeler, and we discussed many important 
environmental issues about which I care

[[Page S1510]]

deeply, from EPA's enforcement of landmark environmental laws to 
greenhouse gas emissions and mercury pollution. Since last August, the 
EPA has proposed to roll back environmental protections, including 
determining it is no longer ``appropriate and necessary'' to regulate 
mercury emissions from power plants, halting efforts to reduce 
greenhouse gas emissions from cars and trucks, and replacing the Clean 
Power Plan.
  These efforts are of great importance to the State of Maine, which is 
located at the end of our Nation's ``air pollution tailpipe'' and is on 
the receiving end of pollution generated by coal-fired power plants in 
other States. Moreover, there is no doubt that the greenhouse gas 
emissions driving climate change pose a significant threat to our 
State's economy and our natural resources, from our working forests, 
fishing, and agricultural industries, to tourism, and recreation.
  Reducing harmful air pollutants is critical for public health, 
particularly for Maine, which has among the highest rates of asthma in 
the country. In Maine, cars, trucks, and other vehicles produce more 
than 50 percent of our State's greenhouse gas emissions. Controls for 
mercury, one of the most persistent and dangerous pollutants, are 
especially important for children and pregnant women. The Agency's 
recent efforts to halt progress in these critical areas takes us in the 
wrong direction.
  In keeping with my past practice, I will vote to allow the full 
Senate to consider Mr. Wheeler's nomination so that every Senator can 
have a clear up or down vote on this important nomination of a member 
of the President's Cabinet.
  However, due to the actions Mr. Wheeler has taken during his tenure 
at the EPA, I will vote against his confirmation.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Pursuant to rule XXII, the Chair lays before 
the Senate the pending cloture motion, which the clerk will state.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

                             Cloture Motion

       We, the undersigned Senators, in accordance with the 
     provisions of rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate, 
     do hereby move to bring to a close debate on the nomination 
     of Andrew Wheeler, of Virginia, to be Administrator of the 
     Environmental Protection Agency.
         Mitch McConnell, Thom Tillis, John Boozman, Johnny 
           Isakson, Mike Crapo, Pat Roberts, John Hoeven, Shelley 
           Moore Capito, Roger F. Wicker, John Barrasso, Joni 
           Ernst, Mike Rounds, John Thune, John Cornyn, Jerry 
           Moran, Chuck Grassley, Richard Burr.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. By unanimous consent, the mandatory quorum 
call has been waived.
  The question is, Is it the sense of the Senate that the debate on the 
nomination of Andrew Wheeler, of Virginia, to be Administrator of the 
Environmental Protection Agency, shall be brought to a close?
  The yeas and nays are mandatory under the rule.
  The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk called the roll.
  Mr. THUNE. The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator 
from Florida (Mr. Scott).
  Further, if present and voting, the Senator from Florida (Mr. Scott) 
would have voted ``yea.''
  Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Arizona (Ms. Sinema) is 
necessarily absent.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Romney). Are there any other Senators in 
the Chamber desiring to vote?
  The yeas and nays resulted--yeas 52, nays 46, as follows:

                       [Rollcall Vote No. 32 Ex.]

                                YEAS--52

     Alexander
     Barrasso
     Blackburn
     Blunt
     Boozman
     Braun
     Burr
     Capito
     Cassidy
     Collins
     Cornyn
     Cotton
     Cramer
     Crapo
     Cruz
     Daines
     Enzi
     Ernst
     Fischer
     Gardner
     Graham
     Grassley
     Hawley
     Hoeven
     Hyde-Smith
     Inhofe
     Isakson
     Johnson
     Kennedy
     Lankford
     Lee
     McConnell
     McSally
     Moran
     Murkowski
     Paul
     Perdue
     Portman
     Risch
     Roberts
     Romney
     Rounds
     Rubio
     Sasse
     Scott (SC)
     Shelby
     Sullivan
     Thune
     Tillis
     Toomey
     Wicker
     Young

                                NAYS--46

     Baldwin
     Bennet
     Blumenthal
     Booker
     Brown
     Cantwell
     Cardin
     Carper
     Casey
     Coons
     Cortez Masto
     Duckworth
     Durbin
     Feinstein
     Gillibrand
     Harris
     Hassan
     Heinrich
     Hirono
     Jones
     Kaine
     King
     Klobuchar
     Leahy
     Manchin
     Markey
     Menendez
     Merkley
     Murphy
     Murray
     Peters
     Reed
     Rosen
     Sanders
     Schatz
     Schumer
     Shaheen
     Smith
     Stabenow
     Tester
     Udall
     Van Hollen
     Warner
     Warren
     Whitehouse
     Wyden

                             NOT VOTING--2

     Scott (FL)
     Sinema
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. On this vote, the yeas are 52, the nays are 
46.
  The motion is agreed to.

                          ____________________