By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
On Friday, U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions (R) from Alabama was chosen by the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works to serve in the 113th Congress as the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety.
Following the vote, Sen. Sessions said in a written statement, “I am grateful to my colleagues for this opportunity and I am looking forward to working with them to protect our natural resources and promote policies that serve the interests of Alabama’s workers and families. One of my promises is to ensure that nuclear power has a fair opportunity to play a significant part in meeting America’s growing need for cheap, reliable, and clean energy. During this time of persistently high unemployment, we need to be unleashing the nation’s economic engine. American workers know their jobs—whether at a steel manufacturing facility, paper mill, automobile plant, cement plant, or any other sector in our economy—should be free of regulations, the cost of which exceed any possible budget. I will look forward to promoting a sound U.S. nuclear energy policy and to advancing important efforts like completion of the Bellefonte nuclear power plant in North Alabama. Beyond these issues, the full committee is expected to take up a number of public works issues in the 113th Congress that are important to Alabama, including the condition of our nation’s ports, harbors, and navigable waterways and the federal highway program.”
According to the statement Senator Sessions has used his role as a member of the Committee on Environment and Public Works to defend American workers from unwarranted EPA regulations, promote a sound energy policy, and advance smart conservation and the interests of Alabamians.
In the past year alone Sessions has introduced a pro-worker energy bill, pushed for Alabamians to be on a federal conservation board, supported passage of an energy bill that protects Alabama jobs, challenges EPA (on President’s Dubious Assertions About Global Temperatures), led a bipartisan Senate effort to stop costly new EPA regulations, supported the confirmation of an Alabamian to be on the board of the Tennessee Valley Authority, honored Wildlife Refuges, helped Secure Passage of RESTORE Act, expressed concerns with Obama’s actions on nuclear power, and challenged the President to reduce gas prices.
In his first term, President Barack H Obama has vastly expanded the EPA’s powers, written thousands of pages of new regulations of dubious value, slowed oil and gas exploration on government lands, and put American manufacturers at a competitive disadvantage while cowtowing to an extreme environmentalist agenda.
Senator Jefferson Beauregard “Jeff” Sessions III serves on the Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works, the Senate Armed Services Committee, the Senate Judiciary Committee, and is the Ranking Republican member of the Senate Budget Committee.
