Oklahoma U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin learned his Senate Environment and Public Works Committee assignments this week.
He not only succeeded retired U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe in winning last November’s election, but Mullin also replaced Inhofe on the Environment and Public Works Committee he once chaired.
Sen. Mullin, who is now the state’s freshman Senator, will serve as Ranking Member of the Chemical Safety, Waste Management, Environmental Justice, and Oversight Subcommittee. He will also serve on the Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee and Clean Air, Climate, and Nuclear Safety Subcommittee.
“As a small business owner, I know firsthand how bureaucratic overregulation and red tape can threaten or even destroy a business. It’s why I ran for office in the first place,” explained Mullin.
“I look forward to using this position to streamline infrastructure projects, ensure reasonable chemical standards, and fight against burdensome air regulations. States like Oklahoma know best how to handle our environment, and it’s past time we get the heavy hand of the federal government out of our way.”
The responsibilities of the subcommittee include: Superfund and waste issues; Chemical policy and risk assessment; Oversight of agencies, departments, and programs such as the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Land and Emergency Management (OLEM), and the Office of Pollution Control and Prevention (OCSPP).
Sen. Mullin was also named to the Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Its responsibilities are: Construction and maintenance of highways, public works, bridges and dams; Flood control; Water resources, development, and improvement to rivers, harbors, and ports; Oversight of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Army Corps of Engineers, Economic Development Administration (EDA), and General Services Administration (GSA);
Sen. Mullin’s third subcommittee assignment was to the Subcommittee on Clean Air, Climate, and Nuclear Safety. The responsibilities of the subcommittee are: Nonmilitary control of nuclear energy with attention to regulation and safety; Air pollution; Oversight of EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation (OAR), Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), and Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).