Rep. Mullin’s Amendments to Roll Back Obama Methane Rules Win Support in House

Oklahoma Congressman Markwayne Mullin’s move to roll back Obama-era environmental rules on limits of greenhouse emissions from oil and gas wells won approval Wednesday in the U.S. House. Two of this amendments were attached to a major spending bill that the House has yet to vote upon.

Representatives voted 218-195 in favor of one amendment that stops government money from financing EPA enforcement of the methane gas rule. Oklahoma Reps. Tom Cole, Frank Lucas and Steve Russell supported Mullin. Rep. Jim Bridenstine did not vote because of his pending confirmation as head of NASA.

In debate last week, Rep. Mullin defended his amendment, explaining the rule was facing litigation and what he called “uncertainty.”

“Congress must act to block this job-killing regulation estimated to cost the U.S. economy $530 million annually,” said the Republican from eastern Oklahoma. “Methane emissions from oil and natural gas have significantly declined in recent decades without multiple, overlapping federal regulations, and this is no exception.”

The House also approved a second amendment of Rep. Mullin, one to block funding of implementing rules based on the social cost of carbon which are used in defining the effects of carbon pollution.

“The Obama administration continuously used social cost of carbon models which can easily be manipulated in order to attempt to justify new job-killing regulations,” argued Mullin.

Again, his amendment had the support of Oklahoma Reps. Cole, Lucas and Russell.