On February 13, the House of Representatives agreed to Articles of Impeachment against Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for his "willful and systemic refusal to comply with the law" and his "breach of public trust." I have said repeatedly that I firmly believe the Senate should conduct a full impeachment trial for Secretary Mayorkas. Unfortunately, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Democrats refused to do this.
It is the constitutional duty given to the U.S. Senate to try all impeachments. That's why the Senate has held some form of a trial for every impeachment in our history, unless the federal officer resigned prior to a trial. I am disappointed in Senator Schumer and Senate Democrats for their inability to follow the Senate rules. The actions by all Democrats to prevent the Senate from holding a trial and hearing evidence is not only unconscionable, it's a disservice to the American people who elected us to do our jobs and uphold our constitutional duty.
Recently, I published an op-ed in The Washington Examiner explaining the need for a full trial. You can read it here.
I also spoke on the Senate floor on this topic. You can watch it by clicking here or on the image above.
Legislative Update
Last week, I joined a bipartisan group of 33 Senate colleagues to introduce a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to overturn the Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) recently finalized radical climate disclosure rule. This effort by the SEC would bury public companies in paperwork, raise costs for consumers, and stifle economic opportunity. Click here to learn more.
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Recently, I sent a letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra urging him to fully implement Jessie's Law. This bipartisan legislation helps ensure best practices are in place so physicians and other medical professionals have knowledge of a patient's history with substance use disorder when determining appropriate medical care. Read the letter here.
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I also joined my colleague, Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), in introducing the Safe and Secure Housing for Opioid Recovery and Enduring Stability (Safe SHORES) Act of 2024. This bill will give state recovery housing programs additional resources to assist those in need of a stable residence during what we know can be a difficult path to recovery and takes another step forward in the fight against opioids in our West Virginia communities. Read more about the Safe SHORES Act here.
EPA's PFAS Designations
On Friday, the EPA announced their decision to designate two legacy per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as "forever chemicals," as hazardous substances under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). This constitutes the first time the EPA has ever designated a hazardous substance under CERCLA without first designating the substance as such under another environmental statute.
This unprecedented decision puts local communities and ratepayers on the hook for PFAS contamination they had nothing to do with in the first place. Along with many others in Congress, I have repeatedly warned the EPA about the unintended consequences stemming from this rule, which will have disproportionate impacts on providers of essential public services such as water and waste utilities, airports, farmers and ranchers, and fire departments. This ill-advised decision underscores the urgent need for Congress to act. We must pass legislation to safeguard American ratepayers from the financial burden imposed by this misguided rule. Learn more here.
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