Congressional Record, Senate, September 13, 2022, Page S4549
Summary
A page of the Congressional Record, Senate, dated September 13, 2022, at page S4549, carrying a Senator's floor remarks on permitting reform. The Senator, who says he sits at Edmund Muskie's desk and was Governor of Maine, urges environmental groups to change how they think about the environmental review process. He states that the talk is about the process, not lowering standards, and that the process should not be used as a weapon to undermine projects needed to reach climate goals. He also says the country should not be dependent on China for an essential material and that deciding to mine it should not take 10 years. The remarks are the Senator's own.
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“Congressional Record, Senate, September 13, 2022, Page S4549.”
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September 13, 2022 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4549
have the waters come back and inun- the solution of the problem of global larly countries that may be potential
date Pharaoh’s army. climate change, you shouldn’t be treat- adversaries. Do we really want to be
Moses says: That is wonderful, God. ed as a strip mall. Some weight should dependent on China for this kind of es-
What is the bad news? be given to the import and the value— sential material to our environmental
God says: You have to prepare the the environmental value—of the future? I don’t think so. But if we are
environmental impact statement. project, vis-a-vis the incidental envi- going to say we don’t want to import
We have got to understand that per- ronmental costs—and I could be criti- it, we have got to get it out of the
mitting is part of the process of going cized for using the word ‘‘incidental,’’ ground here, and we can’t spend 10
to a renewable future. but the smaller environmental costs years deciding it. I am not saying
Now, when I was the Governor of that may be involved in getting there. lower the standards, but I am saying
Maine, I had a very clear policy: no I think that has got to be how we ap- the process itself should not be used as
diminution—no cutting, no cutting proach this whole permitting question. a weapon to undermine projects that
corners—of environmental standards, So why am I here today? I am here are necessary to achieve our ultimate
but I wanted the most timely and pre- today to talk to my friends in the envi- climate goal.
dictable environmental permitting ronmental community—and I do mean This is a change. This is a change of
process in the country, and I don’t friends, people whom I have worked thinking that is required by the reality
think that those two things are in any with all my life—to have them change that we face. I am here because I want
way mutually exclusive. the way they think about the environ- to face that reality. I want to do some-
When I talk here and work with my mental process and what they have thing about climate change. I want to
colleagues here about permitting re- conventionally and historically take the actions necessary, not token
form, I am talking—we are talking— thought about this kind of action. actions but the real deal. But it is
about the process, not the standards. Historically, if you go back to the be- going to involve these enormous com-
We are not talking about lowering the ginning of the environmental move- mitments of time, effort, and money
standards, saying that you can emit ment in the sixties and seventies—and and also our understanding—particu-
more or you don’t have to meet clean Lord, help me, I was there—the envi- larly in the environmental commu-
water standards. ronmental movement was about stop- nity—that there is no free lunch.
I sit at Edmund Muskie’s desk in my ping things. The environmental move- On December 2, 1862, Abraham Lin-
office. Lightning would strike me if I ment in Maine began with a proposed coln came to this Congress to talk
were lowering the water quality or air oil refinery on our coast. People want- about the progress of the Civil War. His
quality standards, but we have got to ed to stop it because they didn’t think problem was that the Congress was
talk about a process that is timely and it was the appropriate place. But if you being the Congress. They were doing
predictable. think about that, a lot of the environ- politics, and he didn’t feel they were
The estimates are that, to permit a mental movement has been about stop- really taking it seriously or understood
mine in this country, it takes about 10 ping things, stopping projects, stopping the massive change that was sweeping
years—about 10 years. We don’t have 10 highways, stopping whatever. over the country. At the end of that
years to spend on a permitting process What we have to do now is think speech, the afternoon of December 2,
if we are going to solve this problem in about facilitating getting things done 1862, Abraham Lincoln gave what I
time to save the country and the plan- in order to get to the renewable future think is still the best analysis of how
et. We have got to figure out how to do that we want. I think that is a very, you deal with change that I have ever
this in a more timely way. How are we very important way to look at this encountered, and I think it applies ex-
going to do it? I don’t know the details process. You can’t be for EVs if you are actly in this situation. Lincoln said:
of the various discussions that are against mining lithium. The dogmas of the quiet past, are inad-
going on here, but I have some Let me give you just a couple of equate to the stormy present. The occasion
thoughts that I have suggested to Sen- numbers on what I am talking about. is piled high with difficulty, [therefore] we
ator MANCHIN and others. Copper—remember, I talked about must rise—with the occasion. As our case is
One is one-stop shopping. You transmission. Copper, copper wires to new, so we must think anew, and act anew.
shouldn’t have to go to five different transmit electricity, the estimate is—I And then here is the key line:
Agencies. Go to one Agency that is in want to be sure this is right. The esti- We must disenthrall ourselves, and then we
charge of the permitting process, and mate is we are going to need as much shall save our country.
let them lead it. Don’t make the appli- copper annually by 2050 as has been ‘‘We must disenthrall ourselves and
cant go to five, six, seven different mined in the entire prior history of the then we shall save our country.’’
Agencies. world. In 1 year, we are going to need ‘‘Disenthrall’’ means thinking new
Secondly are deadlines—real dead- that much. The estimate is that in and different ways. Let go of the way
lines, deadlines that mean something— order to achieve our climate goals, we you thought about these kinds of issues
so that the Agency, if it says 180 days, are going to have to triple—triple—the in the past. Disenthrall ourselves, and
has got to have a decision in 180 days. grid: the wires, the rights of way, the then we shall save our planet.
Eisenhower retook Europe in 11 towers. The grid infrastructure has to I yield the floor.
months. There is no reason that we be tripled in order to absorb the new The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr.
can’t get decisions out of some of these and transmitted—distribute the new PADILLA). The Republican whip.
Agencies in less than a year. So dead- energy that is going to be needed. If Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask
lines and reasonable timeframes, I you have electric vehicles, you are unanimous consent that I be able to
think, are part of this process, and an going to need more wires to get the complete my remarks before the start
accelerated appeals process, where the power—that is going to be a huge in- of the vote.
appeal of an environmental decision on crease; between doubling and tripling The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
a renewable energy project, that is re- is the estimate—of the strength of the objection, it is so ordered.
lated to renewable energy, or that is grid. INFLATION
related to our renewable energy future The International Energy Agency— Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, this
can go to the courts and get a fair not me and not some commercial morning the Bureau of Labor Statistics
hearing but on a timely basis and not group, but the International Energy released the August inflation numbers,
go through a long process that takes, Agency says that by 2040—that is not and as every American who has been to
again, years. that long from now, barely over 15 a grocery store lately knows, August
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
Another suggestion I have—and this years—we are going to need 42 times was yet another month of high infla-
goes back to my experience of working the amount of lithium that we have, 25 tion.
on renewable energy projects—is there times more graphite, 21 times more co- Consumer prices rose 8.3 percent last
should be some credit given for the na- balt, 19 times more nickel, and 7 times month from a year earlier, holding to a
ture of the project that you are doing. more rare-earth elements. Now, we near-four-decade-high—40-year-high—
In other words, if you are doing a have two choices: We can buy those inflation. And Americans are feeling
project that is going to contribute to things from other countries, particu- the strain.
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S4550 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 13, 2022
Even 1 unexpectedly expensive month an economy where living standards for for wealthy Americans and road equity
can be challenging for many families, working families are declining. and identifying gaps in tree canopy
but at least it is actually and usually The President has actually had the coverage. They called this tax-and-
possible to recover from a single tough audacity to repeatedly bring up the spending spree the Inflation Reduction
month. How are American families lines of cars waiting at food banks that Act, even though—as even the Demo-
going to recover from the months upon occurred during the height of the crat chairman of the Senate Budget
months upon months of high inflation COVID pandemic, with the implication Committee admitted—the bill will not
that have marked the Biden economy? that things are different now in the reduce inflation. Apparently, the title’s
As I said, American families are suf- Biden economy. Perhaps no one at the only function is to make the bill sound
fering. Grocery bills are out of control. White House has read the news re- more acceptable to Americans who are
Between August 2021 and August 2022, cently. sick and tired of dealing with soaring
grocery bills rose at their highest rate Here is a sampling of headlines from prices and economic pain.
since 1979—1979, I was a senior in high the past few weeks: Then, a mere 8 days—8 days—after
school. Even back-to-school supplies Las Vegas food banks experiencing height- signing the so-called Inflation Reduc-
like pencils and glue are more expen- ened demand amid inflation spikes. tion Act, the President once again
sive. Here is another one: added to Democrats’ record of eco-
The National Retail Federation re- nomic malfeasance with a massive stu-
Food banks feeling pinch of high inflation
ported in July that households were on as centers juggle to increased demand for
dent loan giveaway that could cost
track to spend an average of $864 on help. more than $1 trillion and that the Com-
back-to-school shopping—a 24-percent mittee for a Responsible Federal Budg-
Another headline: et notes will ‘‘meaningfully boost in-
increase from 2019. New Hampshire food pantries struggle with
Utility bills have soared. Things have flation.’’ That from the Committee for
rising costs, growing demand: Organizations
gotten so bad that approximately one a Responsible Federal Budget.
say more people than ever need help.
out of every six households—one out of I am not sure whether the Democrats
Another headline: are incapable of learning their lesson
every six households in America—is be-
St. Mary’s Food Bank in Phoenix sees or whether they consider soaring prices
hind on its utility bills. Unfortunately,
record number of families in need amid infla- to be a trivial issue next to imple-
considering the increases in the price tion.
of natural gas and electricity since menting their Green New Deal agenda
Yet another headline: or whether they think inflation is an
President Biden took office, it is not
surprising. Forty percent of house- Mountain West food banks are strained by acceptable price to pay for Big Govern-
high customer demand and low supply. ment. But, whatever it is, Democrats
holds—40 percent—reported having dif-
ficulty paying for their normal house- Unfortunately, I can go on. At this are apparently going to continue to ig-
hold expenses. point, everyone knows how we got nore the economic pain that Americans
And Gallup reports that 56 percent of here. Democrats took office and de- are experiencing in favor of imple-
Americans—well over half of the U.S. cided to pass a massive $1.9 trillion menting their far-left, Big Govern-
population—are experiencing financial spending bill, the so-called American ment, and big-spending agenda. And it
hardship as a result of inflation. Rescue Plan Act, that flooded the econ- appears that the American people are
The personal savings rate has omy with unnecessary government going to have to continue to suffer as a
plunged to its lowest levels since 2009, money. And the economy overheated as result.
a result. I yield the floor.
and many Americans are dipping into The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
their savings to make ends meet. Oth- When President Biden took office,
the inflation rate was 1.4 percent, well ator from Pennsylvania.
ers have taken up a side job or are pull- Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, I would
ing out the credit card. Still others within the Fed’s 2-percent target.
ask consent to speak for up to 5 min-
have been forced to rely on food banks. Democrats were warned, including by
utes before the vote.
As recently as Friday, President at least one noted economist from The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
Biden was touting his work to ‘‘finally their own party, that the legislation objection, it is so ordered.
deliver an economy that works for ran the risk of overheating the econ- NOMINATION OF ARIANNA J. FREEMAN
working families.’’ I have to say, I omy. But they were committed to tak-
Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, I rise
don’t know what ivory tower the Presi- ing advantage of their new majority to today in support of the pending nomi-
dent is living in, but the Biden econ- push through their Big Government, nee, Arianna J. Freeman, who has been
omy is the very opposite of an economy Big Spending vision. And so they ig- nominated to serve on the U.S. Court
that works for working families. nored the warnings, and their bill of Appeals for the Third Circuit. For
Working families in the Biden econ- helped trigger the worst inflation crisis those who may not know all the geog-
omy are struggling. They are won- in 40 years. raphy, that includes, under the juris-
dering how they can make ends meet. But perhaps the worst part is that diction of that court, Pennsylvania,
They are cutting back on groceries like even after Democrats saw the damage New Jersey, Delaware, and the Virgin
meat or milk. They are cutting back that resulted from their American Res- Islands.
on family trips or putting off necessary cue Plan spending spree, they contin- Arianna Freeman has dedicated her
home repairs. They are, as I said, dip- ued to try to double down on the spend- legal career to service, especially in
ping into their savings or charging ne- ing strategy that helped get us into the Philadelphia community. After
cessities on their credit cards or vis- this mess in the first place. graduating from Swarthmore College
iting food banks. Democrats spent half of last year at- and Yale Law School, Ms. Freeman re-
A recent CBS News article discussing tempting to force through—if you can turned to Philadelphia to start her
a new Gallup poll noted: believe this—yet another partisan legal career. After clerking for three
The findings indicate that the hottest in- spending spree originally planned to Federal judges in the Eastern District
flation in 40 years is eating into the bedrock cost up to $5 trillion. Fortunately for of Pennsylvania, she joined the Federal
of the American economy—the middle- Americans, those particular far-left Community Defender Office in Phila-
class—and even eroding the financial sta- fantasies were foiled. But that hasn’t delphia. Through her experience in the
bility of more well-heeled households. stopped Democrats from continuing to defender’s office, she has briefed over
To repeat: accumulate wasteful government 15 appeals in the Third Circuit and pre-
spending.
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
The findings indicate that the hottest in- sented oral argument on seven occa-
flation in 40 years is eating into the bedrock In August, Democrats forged through sions, including before the Third Cir-
of the American economy—the middle-class. a partisan tax-and-spending bill that cuit en banc, meaning the entire court.
This is not an economy that is—to will raise Americans’ energy bills, re- She has submitted four briefs before
paraphrase the President—being built duce jobs and opportunities for Amer- the U.S. Supreme Court as well.
from the bottom up and the middle ican workers, and waste taxpayer dol- Her legal reputation, her intellect,
out. This is not an economy that lars on a host of Green New Deal prior- her ability, and her integrity are un-
‘‘works for working families.’’ This is ities, like electric vehicle tax credits questioned. I will just give you three or
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