U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) spoke out last week after the House passed two resolutions aimed at blocking the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) unpopular regulations for new and existing power plants.

The two resolutions, introduced in October, would disapprove of EPA’s rules to regulate carbon dioxide from new and existing plants. The EPA seeks to create a first-time regulatory structure on the nation’s electricity sector, imposing renewable energy and cap-and-trade mandates similar to previous incentives that failed in 2010. 

“No amount of self-righteous claims or baseless partisan attacks from President Obama will change the fact that he has no power to enact his fanatical environmental agenda, period,” Gosar said. “His backdoor attempts to rule by executive fiat have been repeatedly and resoundingly rejected by Congress, federal courts and the American people. The president’s war on coal is unlawful and extremely misguided as nearly 40 percent of our nation’s electricity is generated from this important resource."

Thus far, 27 states, 24 national trade groups, 37 electric cooperatives, 10 major companies and three labor unions have fought the EPA’s regulations, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Manufacturers and various energy-related interest groups.

“If (Obama) truly believes that his ideas are worthy of action, why continue to circumvent the process?” Gosar said, challenging the president to pass his Clean Power Plan through the correct legislative procedure. “The reality is the American people will never submit to bogus cap-and-trade mandates… . Hard-working taxpayers can’t afford more EPA regulations... . The American people have said no, Congress has said no and it is only a matter of time before the courts say no.”