Business Council of Alabama President and CEO William J. Canary congratulated BCA-endorsed federal candidates who won their primaries on Tuesday.
The BCA-endorsed candidates were U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Tuscaloosa, U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne, R-Mobile, U.S. Rep. Martha Roby, R-Montgomery, U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Saks, and U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Haleyville.
U.S. Reps. Mo Brooks, R-Huntsville, Gary Palmer, R-Hoover, and Terri Sewell, D-Birmingham, did not have primary opposition and did not appear on ballots in their respective districts.
“Congratulations to the five members of Alabama’s congressional delegation who won their primary elections yesterday,” Canary said Wednesday. “The state of Alabama is blessed with a delegation that puts Alabama first and consistently stands up against the Administration’s continued assault on Alabama business through over-regulation and unceasing costly and onerous mandates. Alabama and our nation are better because of these nine men and women that the voters of Alabama continue to send to Washington.”
SUPREME COURT OPPOSES STATES, BUSINESS ON OBAMA’S EPA RULE
The U.S. Supreme Court sided with the Obama administration on Thursday in rebuffing a bid by 20 states to halt an Environmental Protection Agency rule to curb emissions of mercury and other toxic pollutants from power plants, said Reuters.
The action came about a month after the high court stopped federal regulations to curb carbon dioxide emissions mainly from coal-fired power plants, the centerpiece of President Barack Obama’s strategy to combat climate change.
Chief Justice John Roberts denied a petition made last week by the states, led by Michigan, to put the rule on hold after a federal appeals court decided in December to leave it intact while the EPA reassessed costs of implementing the regulation.
The states had argued that a stay was necessary because the Supreme Court had “already held that the finding on which the rule rests is unlawful and beyond the EPA’s statutory authority.”
The Supreme Court ruled last June that the EPA should have considered compliance costs when it decided to limit emissions of mercury and other hazardous air pollutants mainly from coal-fired power plants, and returned the case to the appeals court.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit subsequently said the regulations could remain in place while the government responds to the high court’s June ruling. The appeals court gave the EPA until April 15 to come up with compliance costs. The EPA rule, which went into effect last April, applies to about 1,400 electricity-generating units at 600 power plants. Many are already in compliance.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Obama Honors Alabama’s Championship Football Team
Associated Press (3/2) “President Barack Obama says the University of Alabama football team’s fourth appearance at the White House in seven years is a sign that he’s brought it some good luck. He says the last time a team went on a similar run was in the 1940s.
“Alabama won college football’s national championship in January after coming from behind to defeat Clemson. During a White House ceremony Wednesday, Obama also noted the players’ charitable work, including visits to retirement homes, hospitals and schools.
“Obama added that he’d like to welcome the team back to the White House next year, but term limits will make it impossible. Obama will be out of office at this time next year after serving two terms.”