Washington, D.C. – Congressman Frank Lucas today praised passage of H.R. 3409, the Stop the War on Coal Act. This legislative package consists of a series of bills that will reign in EPA regulations that are crippling the U.S. coal industry and costing our country thousands of jobs. The bill passed the house today with a 233 to 175 vote.                                           

“I am pleased the Stop the War on Coal Act passed the House today,” said Lucas. “President Obama has claimed his administration has an “all-of-the-above” energy policy, however the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) burdensome regulations on the coal industry have suggested otherwise.

“The coal industry plays a vital role in Oklahoma, producing a large portion of electricity to the state. The demise of this important energy resource would cause Oklahomans’ electricity bills to skyrocket, and I am glad this bill will help pull back environmental regulations to help prevent this from occurring.

“Additionally, the coal industry is responsible for over 550,000 U.S. jobs, and more than 130,000 Americans are directly employed in coal mining across the country. Over the past year, thousands of these jobs have been compromised because of EPA’s overreaching regulations on carbon based products. With the U.S. unemployment rate remaining above 8 percent, we must do everything possible to preserve these jobs in the coal industry.

“H.R. 3409 puts us on the right path to controlling EPA regulations on carbon based products, while in-turn preserving our domestic energy supply and keeping Americans employed. It is my hope that this legislation will be sent to the Senate for passage and signed into law by President Obama.”

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