WASHINGTON — The Senate confirmed Scott Pruitt to head the Environmental Protection Agency, an agency Republicans desperately want to rein in after what they charge was eight years of dangerous activism under the Obama administration that hurt businesses, jobs and the economy. “I can’t think of any other time when people in the bureaucracy have done this.”

Still, the nominee’s confirmation is expected to pass as two Democrat senators, Heidi Keitkamp of North Dakota and Joe Manchin III of West Virginia, have said they’ll vote for Pruitt. One Republican, Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who had said she would vote no before Thursday’s news of the court ruling, held to her vow to vote against Pruitt today. Democrats boycotted a committee vote on Pruitt's nomination last month, citing his refusal to hand over the emails, and on Thursday called on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to delay Pruitt's confirmation vote until the nominee turns over the thousands of requested emails from his time as attorney general. And, as someone with state government experience, he understands the real-world consequences of EPA actions and knows that balance is the key to making policies that are sustainable over the long-term.”

The vote came a day after a federal judge ruled the Oklahoma attorney general’s office must turn over thousands of emails related to Pruitt’s communications with fossil fuel companies, which have a large presence in his state.
With a 52–46 vote, the U.S. Senate confirms Attorney General of Oklahoma Scott Pruitt as the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. Breaking with party lines, Republican Susan Collins opposed the nomination, while Democrats Heidi Heitkamp and Joe Manchin supported Pruitt, who has been described as a climate change denier with a history of criticizing the agency he now leads.