海角大神

Rep. Paul Ryan (R) of Wisconsin questioned the legality of the Obama administration鈥檚 proposed regulations on coal-fired power plants Wednesday, saying they are 鈥渙utside of the confines of the law.鈥�

鈥淐limate change occurs no matter what,鈥� at a Wednesday breakfast hosted by the 海角大神 Science Monitor in Washington. 鈥淭he question is, can and should the federal government do something about it. And I would argue the federal government, with all its tax and regulatory schemes, can't.鈥�

In June, President Obama laid out Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations that would curb coal plants鈥� greenhouse emissions 30 percent by 2030. The regulations are a part of Mr. Obama鈥檚 broader Climate Action Plan, which aims to stem the causes and mitigate the effects of climate change.

The EPA is holding hearings across the country this week to get comment on the proposed rules. Environmental groups have praised the regulations or pushed for even more, while the energy industry accuses the Obama administration of overreach.

In Washington, the proposed regulations are taking a beating from Republicans like Ryan.

Ryan said he supports House Speaker John Boehner鈥檚 plans to sue the president for transgressing the boundaries of executive authority in a different instance as well 鈥� the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.

鈥淭he president is issuing executive orders and regulations that exceed the parameters of the statutes that gave him the authority in the first place,鈥� Ryan said at Wednesday鈥檚 breakfast.

Ryan added that regulations and taxes meant to deal with climate change 鈥渨on鈥檛 even solve the purported problem 鈥� all they end up doing is making the US economy less competitive.鈥�

Ryan is currently chairman of the powerful House Budget Committee. Though he was coy about presidential ambitions during Wednesday鈥檚 Monitor breakfast, as Mitt Romney鈥檚 vice presidential candidate in 2012 he is widely regarded as a possible contender in 2016.

During a July speech in West Virginia, Ryan slammed Obama and congressional Democrats for their 鈥渨ar on coal鈥� and their lack of support for energy jobs, according to .

Ryan was in the state campaigning alongside Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (R), who is running against Democrat Natalie Tennant to replace retiring Sen. John Rockefeller IV (D).

Ryan blasted the proposed EPA regulations in particular.

鈥淭he design is to put coal out of business,鈥� Ryan said at Representative Capito鈥檚 event, The Gazette reports. 鈥淐oal is the secret sauce to giving us abundant, affordable energy.鈥�

鈥淚 don鈥檛 see a solution here,鈥� Ryan said of the power plant regulations at Wednesday鈥檚 breakfast. 鈥淚 see an excuse to grow government, raise taxes, and slow down economic growth.鈥�