Hall (TX04) - Press Release - Hall Opposes Cap-and-tax Energy Bill


June 26, 2009

HALL OPPOSES CAP-AND-TAX ENERGY BILL

WASHINGTON, D.C. ...The House today voted largely along partisan lines on the House Democrats’ cap-and-trade energy bill that Rep. Ralph Hall (TX-4) opposed, believing that this bill will increase costs for taxpayers on gasoline, utilities, and groceries, while accomplishing little for the environment and for energy independence, and will certainly spawn gigantic tax increases. Senator Dodd (D-CT) has already recommended a 10 percent value added tax in addition to the Federal income tax and no objection was reportedly made by the Democratic Senate. The vote was 219 yeas to 212 nays. Hall voted instead for a Republican alternative, the “New Manhattan Project for Energy Independence” Act. This alternative establishes a commission to set a plan for making the U.S. 50 percent energy independent in ten years and 100 percent energy independent in 20 years and authorizes a competition that awards large monetary prizes to the first entity that achieves each of seven different energy goals set out in the alternative. The purposes for reaching the goals are to eliminate dependence on foreign oil and transform the energy sector. The Republican alternative was defeated by a vote of 172-256. “In this economic slump, increased costs for gasoline and utilities will deal American families an even greater economic hardship,” Hall said. “Many experts indicate that more than two million jobs would be lost each year for the next 20 years as a result of this legislation. With unemployment at 10 percent and rising, we need to be working to create jobs – not destroy them.” “So far it seems that the Senate shares our belief that a cap-and-trade system to cap emissions, and trade or sell allowances, will cost too much and accomplish too little,” Hall said. “Beginning with the bailouts, my constituents were over 100-1 in opposition and that spawned the tea party complaints in protest. If I received over 100-1 in opposition to the bailouts from my Northeast Texas district, it’s fairly obvious that the other members received similar numbers and ignored them.” “Following the Administration’s turn to cap and tax, my constituent opposition was very similar and almost identical to the 100-1 against the bailouts,” Hall said. “Thus, the will of the people was apparently ignored, and I predict that such will launch more participation by those that support and plan for and carry out the tea parties. Those attending the tea parties feel once again that Congress has ignored the advice of those who elected them. The American people deserve better than this.”

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