Domestic Energy

Floor Speech

DOMESTIC ENERGY -- (House of Representatives - May 05, 2009)

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Mr. BROUN of Georgia. I thank my dear friend JOHN SHIMKUS for leading this hour, and I congratulate him on his leadership on this extremely important issue on energy.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today because my colleagues on the other side of the aisle are once again trying to pass off baloney for prime rib. In the last 100-plus days, we have seen nonstimulating stimulus packages, and we are probably going to see some more, secretive bills in an ``open and transparent'' Congress, and trillion dollar commitments to fiscal responsibility. Clearly, liberals have a monopoly on the misnomer. Unfortunately, the disguises are out again today with this tax-and-cap plan.

We must not be fooled by the rhetoric. This is a $646 billion tax that will impact every American family, small business, and family farm. Family energy costs will rise by more than $3,100 a year for every family. This is an outrageous tax on every family that drives a car, buys American products, or flips on their light switch when they come home. So unless your name is Fred Flintstone or you live in a cave, you will be impacted by this tax.

Senior citizens, the poor, and the unemployed will be hit the hardest by this tax as experts agree that they spend a greater portion of their income on energy consumption. This is a time when we should be promoting policies that stimulate our economy and not tear it down. Various studies suggest that anywhere from 1.8 million to 7 million jobs will be lost by this tax-and-cap policy. Make no mistake that the Democrats' airtight cap will suffocate America's small businesses, crippling America's respiratory system, the free economy.

My colleagues on the other side of the aisle will claim that this tax-and-cap will help clean up the environment; however, this doesn't seem that it is even about the environment or global warming anymore. This has turned into a revenue generator for NANCY PELOSI and HARRY REID's radical agenda, their steamroller of socialism that is being shoved down the throats of the American people, and that agenda includes socialized medicine. The tax-and-trade will be one of the largest sources of revenue for their new radical socialistic agenda. Mr. Speaker, the cat is out of the bag, and the American people see through the disguises, rhetoric and misnomers. Taxing families during an economic recession is not the only way to clean up the environment.

Fortunately for the American people, Republicans have offered an alternative to this unaffordable new energy tax that no one can afford. We believe that you can clean up the environment and keep jobs at the same time.

Our solutions include American energy produced by American workers to create American jobs. Our all-of-the-above energy plan brings us closer to energy independence, encourages greater efficiency and conservation, promotes the use of alternative fuels, and lowers gas prices.

And don't think Democrats aren't doing any back-scratching when it comes to their new energy tax. The Washington Times reported yesterday that a loophole has been tucked into this legislation written by the congressional liberals that would exempt at least one major energy company from at least one of the many onerous provisions of the Democrats' national energy tax plan, ultimately leaving hardworking families and small businesses to pick up the tab.

I encourage all the non-Fred and Wilma Flintstones in America out there to stand up and demand straightforward answers from your lawmakers about this new energy tax that is being promoted by NANCY PELOSI and company, and encourage your lawmakers instead to support an all-of-the-above energy plan that removes our dependence upon foreign oil, lowers energy costs, and will create more jobs.

I thank the gentleman for yielding. We have got to stop this tax-and-cap plan that is being promoted by the leadership of this House and Senate. It is going to kill the American economy, it is going to cost jobs, and I congratulate my dear friend from Illinois for bringing all this out and being a leader in promoting responsible energy policy for America that the American public can count upon. And I congratulate you.

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