Capito Statement on Vote Against Brenda Mallory to Serve as White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, today released the below statement following her vote opposing Brenda Mallory as Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ):

“While I appreciate Ms. Mallory’s past service to our country, her policy views will not allow our country to move forward and grow. Instead, her agenda will do quite the opposite. Her past positions on environmental reviews and her lack of commitment to reasonable project timelines suggest an unwillingness to review and streamline the NEPA process, which is a critical hurdle for any project to get off the ground. Her unwillingness to streamline this review process will ultimately prohibit our country from ‘building back better’ because we won’t be able to build at all. My opposition to Ms. Mallory’s nomination is based in a fundamental difference of opinion I have with her about the right direction for our country. Because of her lack of commitment to oppose the policies that hold back growth in West Virginia and communities across this nation, I could not vote to support her nomination.”

Last month, Ranking Member Capito had the opportunity to question Brenda Mallory during her nomination hearing. Click here to watch her opening remarks and here to watch her questions.

# # #