FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                       Contact: Brian Thomas
June 26, 2009                                                                                                                                 (202) 225-6605

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Kenny Marchant (TX-24) issued the following release regarding his vote against H.R. 2454.

 “The vote I made today against the national energy tax was the easiest vote I have ever made. Not only would this legislation, if enacted, bury every American family under an avalanche of taxes, it would bleed jobs from American industry and small businesses. At a time when industry and businesses are struggling to maintain their workforce, government should not further burden it with unnecessary and destructive government mandates.  

“This legislation has nothing to do with becoming energy independent. It has everything to do with an agenda by some to have government control every aspect of its citizens’ lives. The fifty pages in this massive bill dedicated to regulating light bulbs is proof positive of the ever-encroaching hand of some in government into the daily lives of hardworking Americans struggling to weather the current recession.

 “The American people deserve action, not another national energy tax masquerading as an energy plan. The national energy tax, which depresses demand through government control, is harmful to the pocketbooks of the American people and contains punitive mandates and confiscatory tax measures that will lead to the loss of millions of jobs across the country. During a vibrant economy, this would be extremely detrimental; during a recession, it would be the death knell.  

 “Even though the national energy tax passed the House, the American people still have a chance to have their voices heard as the Senate considers this truly bad piece of legislation. We should heed the warning of former Energy & Commerce Committee Chairman John Dingell (D-MI) who said, ‘Nobody, nobody in this country realizes that cap and trade is a tax and it’s a great big one.’ Even President Obama said the cap and trade bill would lead energy prices to ‘necessarily skyrocket.’ I could not agree more.

“Rather than figuring out how to balance the burden of another government boondoggle on the backs of hardworking Americans, we should pass the “all of the above” American Energy Act, a forward-looking plan that relies on American resources and ingenuity to break our dependence on foreign energy. Unlike the national energy tax, the American Energy Act does not penalize Americans for driving their cars or flipping on their light switch. The American Energy Act draws upon the strength of Texas’ natural gas industry, and provides for the construction of 100 emission-free nuclear energy plants by 2030. I hope Republicans and Democrats will come together to pass the American Energy Act which creates jobs, makes energy more affordable, and leads us closer to energy independence.”

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