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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators John Barrasso and Cynthia Lummis (both R-WY) and Representative Liz Cheney (R-WY) sent a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) urging the EPA to work with the town of Afton and Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality to conduct further tests on the quality of their spring water as opposed to requiring it to fund and build a $12-14 million water treatment operation. The delegation writes, “We strongly support Afton and Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) position that a “ground w...
For most of us in Wyoming, 2020 brought many challenges. As we head into 2021, we can celebrate a new year with some much-needed encouraging news: We have multiple effective vaccines for COVID-19. During the past year, the federal government has focused on Operation Warp Speed. This is a true private-public partnership, involving America’s best scientists, business, military and health care leaders. The goal was to create and distribute a safe, potent and effective vaccine for COVID-19. That goal was achieved in record time. This is a h...
America is starting to recover from its coronavirus-induced coma. The economy added nearly 5 million jobs in June – our largest-ever monthly jobs gain. Businesses small and large are waking up. Thousands of Americans who lost their jobs are being hired back. And yet with the recent spike in cases, the country needs a responsible plan to bring us back to the pre-pandemic economy: strong, healthy and growing. Some see the spike and immediately call for another shutdown. They want to abandon our economic recovery, which would give whiplash to hard...
There is more good news every day about the once-in-a-generation tax relief law Congress passed in late December. While traveling across Wyoming these past few months, I’ve heard firsthand from local families and businesses how this law is helping them. One of the biggest goals of tax reform was to put more money in the pockets of hard-working Americans. In February, 90 percent of workers in Wyoming and across the country began to see more money in their take-home pay due to the law. This is because less money is withheld from paychecks to a...
Obamacare promised Americans affordable health insurance. The reality fell far short. Now we have a way to let people save money on coverage and get back some of the freedom they lost. We can create an escape hatch for people to get out of Obamacare. Last week, the Trump administration took steps to expand “short-term limited-duration” health plans. We should go even further. These plans existed for people who experienced a break in coverage; they could have the plan for up to 364 days. The plans weren’t bound by all of the burdensome requi...
In the past few weeks, there have been several changes in Washington that will directly benefit people across Wyoming. These include Wyoming’s energy workers, families who need affordable health care, and those concerned with preventing wildfires. Ending the “Clean Power Plan” On Oct. 10, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) took steps to repeal the so-called Clean Power Plan rule. The EPA is supposed to issue reasonable regulations to protect America’s air. However, the unreasonable and unlawful Clean Power Plan would have hurt energy...
Across America, we have aging roads, bridges, dams and water systems. Our crumbling infrastructure is threatening public safety, slowing economic development and costing us all. A recent study by the American Society of Civil Engineers found that American families are losing $3,400 per year in disposable income because of crumbling infrastructure. This comes in the form of wasted time in traffic, higher grocery bills or unreliable water and electricity services. It is time we address our long-neglected public works. As chairman of the Senate Co...
We now have a new administration. In January, I became chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. President Trump announced his nominee to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. The Senate also started the process of rolling back punishing regulations from the Obama administration. Supreme Court Nomination On Jan. 31, President Trump announced his nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to serve as associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. Our next justice will make decisions that impact our country for generations. That’s why it’s im...
In Wyoming, we know how devastating floods can be to our communities. With Senate passage of a bipartisan water bill, towns across Wyoming are one step closer to improving dam safety and better preparing for floods. Senate Passes Bill to Help Wyoming Communities Prepare for Flood On Sept. 15, the Senate passed the bipartisan Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) by a vote of 95 to 3. This bill authorizes the Army Corps of Engineers to improve and maintain dams, inland waterways, ports, and projects to prevent flooding and ensure water delivery...
By John Barrasso, M.D. U.S. Senator With Congress out of session in August, I traveled around the state extensively and visited with folks in communities across Wyoming. I also fought harmful new Obama administration executive actions on carbon-based energy and on our Second Amendment rights. Both of the president’s proposals hurt small businesses and law-abiding individuals around our state. White House Finalizes Climate Change Directive On Aug. 2, the White House Council on Environmental Quality released its final direction to federal agencie...
One of the most important and rewarding parts of my job is visiting our men and women in uniform overseas. I was fortunate to meet with and bring a little bit of Wyoming to members of the Wyoming Air National Guard who are currently serving in the Middle East. Visiting troops in the Middle East On July 28, I had privilege to meet and thank Wyoming troops serving in the Middle East. Wyoming has more than 30 members of the Wyoming Air National Guard’s 153rd Airlift Wing stationed in the United Arab Emirates. These service members are from communi...
On Tuesday, President Obama released the final budget of his presidency. As a parting shot, he includes a new tax on the middle class that adds about 24 cents to the price of every gallon of gasoline. This will be bad for consumers, bad for jobs, bad for America’s economy and bad for our national security. The tax hike comes in the form of a $10 “fee” per barrel of oil. The money is earmarked for new spending on green transportation projects. This is just the latest sign that the Obama administration is eager to continue its assault on Ameri...
Energy and mineral production is the backbone of Wyoming’s economy and provides good-paying jobs for families across the state. That’s why the hearings this month in the U.S. Senate on a variety of job-crushing energy regulations and policies are so important. In addition to hearing from key Obama administration witnesses, members of the Senate heard from Wyoming’s own Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) director about the impact overregulation is having on energy-producing states. WY DEQ Director Parfitt Testifies Before Senate On Oct. 2...
By John Barrasso, M.D. US Senator While the nuclear agreement with Iran dominated the headlines in July, it’s just one of the many pressing issues debated this month in the US Senate. We passed a long-term highway bill, advanced broad bipartisan energy legislation important to Wyoming’s economy and introduced a bill to address the taxpayer funding of abortion services. Congress Begins Debate on Iran Nuclear Deal The Senate started the review process for the recently released nuclear agreement with Iran. Any agreement with Iran must protect the...
The Supreme Court made big waves in June when they released important decisions that directly impact Wyoming’s energy economy and health premiums for those enrolled in Obamacare. In the Senate, we advanced bipartisan legislation to keep Wyoming’s water clean while protecting private and state water rights as well as a six-year transportation bill that includes priorities for rural states like ours. Bipartisan Bill to Protect Wyoming’s Water Advances The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee voted on June 10th to advance the bipar...
In Wyoming, almost half of our land is controlled by the federal government. Regulations coming out of Washington have a huge impact on the people in our state. In April, we heard from Wyoming’s Oil and Gas Supervisor about the impact of federal hydraulic fracturing regulations. I also introduced two bills to protect the water rights of private property owners and to keep our waterways clean. New Bipartisan Bill to Protect America’s Waterways The EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are once again overreaching and trying to expand the Cle...
Energy and water are vital to our way of life and economy in Wyoming. In February, I introduced legislation to make it easier to build new natural gas pipelines and update our aging water delivery systems. The Senate and Congressional Western Caucuses also released a new report this month that details key western principles and how they support local, boots-on-the-ground stewardship of our land, water, and natural resources. Western Caucuses Principles Report On Feb. 12, I joined members of the senate and congressional caucuses in releasing a...
