By Carl Bearden and Phil Kerpen

The Environmental Protection Agency is intent on shoehorning vast, costly global warming regulations into the 1970 Clean Air Act.  Congress has been content to look the other way and allow it to happen, but on June 10 every senator will be on the record. That's when the Senate will vote on a resolution introduced by Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski (S.J. Res. 26) that would overturn the EPA's global warming regulations.  It's privileged and not subject to filibuster.  There is no place for weak-kneed senators to hide.  In just two weeks we'll know where every member of the Senate stands, including Sen. Claire McCaskill.

 The EPA is out to regulate cars, trucks, buses, motorcycles, planes, trains, ships, boats, tractors, mining equipment, RVs, lawn mowers, forklifts, and just about everything else that has a motor in it. And because there is no control technology for greenhouse gases, the EPA would require complete redesigns and operational changes.  They would also regulate stationary sources, including commercial kitchens that use natural gas as a cooking fuel and, eventually, even large single-family homes.

 The Democrats have a huge majority in the Senate, but many Democrats will not walk the party line on this one.  To start, three Democrats are co-sponsors of Murkowski's resolution: Blanche Lincoln (Arkansas), Ben Nelson (Nebraska), and Mary Landrieu (Louisiana).

 And at least one more key Democrat, Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia, has also expressed his concerns about what the EPA is doing.  He said: "We cannot wait any longer to send the message that relying on EPA is the wrong way to go. The fate of our entire economy, our manufacturing industries and our workers should not be in the hands of EPA."

The stakes here in Missouri are huge and although generally supportive of greenhouse gas regulations, Missouri Department of Natural Resources Director James Kavanaugh said he "does not believe that EPA's 'vigorous' streamlining efforts will yield anything fruitful.  State and local permitting authorities have been streamlining their processes for over 15 years."  Kavanaugh rightly worries the permit avalanche will cripple his agency.

We know the vote is on June 10. It will be a clean, up-or-down vote on the Senate floor – a yes to stop the EPA power grab, or a no to look the other way and let it happen.

 Regardless of the outcome, we'll learn where Sen. McCaskill stands.  Will she vote to say a rogue agency can short-circuit the legitimate legislative process, disregard public opinion, and impose its own constraints on the Missouri economy? Or will she take responsibility as the legitimately elected legislative branch of government and rein in the EPA by voting yes on S.J. Res. 26?  We'll find out June 10.

 Phil Kerpen is vice president for policy and Carl Bearden is Missouri state director at Americans for Prosperity, which is on the web at www.RegulationReality.com.