EPA's Scott Pruitt forces Tom Carper to stumble in yes-or-no questioning

PRUITT CAUSES CARPER TO STUMBLE IN FIGHT FOR ‘YES’ OR ‘NO’ ANSWERS:“These are not yes or no questions,” Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt said during a rapid-fire question-and-answer session that started a much-anticipated hearing Tuesday morning.

Pruitt can’t be pinned down: The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee’s top Democrat, Sen. Tom Carper of Delaware, tried to pin him down with a series of pointed questions demanding yes or no answers.

Pruitt and Carper sparred in the opening round of questioning, with Pruitt refusing to answer him with a simple yes or no answer.

Dem gets frustrated: Carper, frustrated, stopped and stammered throughout the painful-to-watch session.

No answer on climate endangerment finding: Pruitt refused to give him a definitive answer on whether the Trump EPA will attempt to repeal or replace the “endangerment finding” that gives the agency the authority to regulate climate change-causing greenhouse gas emissions.

“For as long as you are administrator, do you commit to not take any steps to repeal or replace the endangerment finding, yes or no?” Carper asked, pointing out that the finding gave the Obama EPA the authority to regulate greenhouse gases from vehicles in its fuel efficiency regulations.

“No decision or determination on that,” Pruitt said after trying to explain that the agency is working through the revision of the Obama-era vehicle regulations.

Pruitt received warm praise from Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., who applauded his push to reconsider the Waters of the United States Rule and the Clean Power Plan...more