Sen. Jim Inhofe called out Democrats for not showing up to his environmental committee’s hearings, many of which placed the Obama administration in the crosshairs of Republican oversight.
“This is the second time this week when we don’t have any of the minority show up” to a hearing, the Republican chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee said Wednesday, although he didn’t volunteer why he thought they weren’t coming.
Wednesday’s subcommitee hearing, which examined the difference of opinion between the Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency about the EPA’s contentious new water rule, was delayed for nearly an hour due to votes.
More than half the states are suing the EPA over the rule for violating state jurisdiction. The rule makes ditches and small water-bearing holes on private land subject to federal enforcement, and is a big target of the GOP.
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., was one of the first Democrats to first show up after Inhofe complained. He said the Republicans’ “absolute attack on this rule” is “unfortunate.” He said, “And I think it is very regrettable.”
“The conversation has been perposterous,” he said. “Extreme rhetoric” about an EPA power grab isn’t understandable about a rule that is consistent with Supreme Court cases directing the agency to take specific actions to address clean water.
