Issue Position: Energy and Cap and Trade

Issue Position

I have long been an advocate of American energy independence and believe we need both a short-term and a long-term strategic energy plan to accomplish that goal. For the short-term I encourage domestic energy production and in the long-term I think we should pursue solar, wind and other technologies by providing incentives to encourage their development.

Earlier in the 111th Congress, the House of Representatives considered H.R. 2454, the energy tax bill also reffered to as the Cap and trade bill. I voted against this energy tax bill when it was passed by the House of Representatives by only a margin of seven votes: 219 to 212. The Cap and Tax legislation would impose an energy fee on almost all forms of energy.

I supported an alternative plan that promotes clean, renewable and environmentally-safe energy production as well as increasing efficiency as the best way to improve the environment, lower energy costs and create American jobs. While the sponsors may have been well intended in penalizing fossil fuel energy use and using the proceeds for alternative energy sources, the impact on jobs and taxes could be severly detrimental to the nation's economy.

The Cap and Trade legislation is currently being considered in the Senate.

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