WASHINGTON -- Incoming Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., pledged Wednesday to do all he can to stop President Barack Obama's coal-plant regulations, saying a White House "crusade" has devastated his state's economy.
The Environmental Protection Agency "has created a depression in my state, and it's done a lot of damage to the country all across the country with these efforts to essentially eliminate coal-fired generation," he said.
"I couldn't be angrier about it, and whatever we can think of to try to stop it we're going to do. ... I know it won't be easy with Barack Obama in the White House."
McConnell takes over Senate leadership and its new Republican majority in January. He reaffirmed plans to make approving the Keystone XL pipeline, which would run from Canada to Texas, the first order of business. He said other moves to counter Obama's environmental policies will follow, but he did not offer details.
The Obama administration is trying to get fossil fuel-fired power plants to reduce carbon dioxide emissions 30 percent from 2005 levels by 2030. The White House also recently announced a deal with China to curb the greenhouse gases blamed for global warming.
Asked if the Senate had any obligation to address global warming, McConnell said, "Look, my first obligation is to protect my people, who are hurting as the result of what this administration is doing."
He said that despite the administration's "phony deal" with China, "coal is booming elsewhere."
"Our country, going down this path all by ourselves, is going to have about as much impact as dropping a pebble in the ocean," McConnell said.
"So for the president to pursue his crusade at the expense of the people of my state is completely unacceptable, and I'm going to do any and everything I can to stop it," McConnell said.
Much of the decline of the Kentucky coal industry is actually because of the rise of other energy sources, such as cheaper natural gas, and cheaper coal from other states, experts have said. Obama's regulations have not all taken effect.
On another point of contention with the White House, McConnell stopped short of pledging that Congress would block Obama's recent executive actions curbing deportations for millions of illegal aliens.
Republicans strongly oppose Obama's move and are gearing up for a fight on the issue in February, when money runs out for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees immigration matters. But the GOP's options appear to be limited, and "exactly how the February episode unfolds I couldn't tell you at this point," McConnell said.
McConnell promised to restore a more open process of legislating and amendments in the Senate, which has been tightly run under outgoing Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. McConnell said he did not think the presence of several potential presidential candidates would affect the Senate's work.
"I think the Senate can survive presidential ambition," McConnell said.
"Serious adults are in charge here and we intend to make progress. ... We're going to change the Senate's behavior, and hopefully change the country in the process."
Information for this article was contributed by Alan Fram of The Associated Press.
A Section on 12/18/2014