President Is Out to Lunch

Press Release

EPA regulations another hit on the already battered middle class"

"Of all of the promises this President has broken, this is one promise the American people wish he hadn't kept," said, Rep. Sean Duffy (WI-07). He is referring to a 2008 editorial board interview with the San Francisco Chronicle when, then candidate Obama said, "Under my plan of a cap-and-trade system, electricity rates will necessarily sky rocket." Today, the President will make good on that promise when the EPA issues new rules that are projected to cause a steep increase in Americans' electricity bills. Costs are projected to go up as much as $17 billion every year.

Rep. Duffy offered harsh criticism of the President's new rules, "Once again, the President is out to lunch and from the look of things, it appears to be a high-dollar special interest backed meal. Whether it's Obamacare, tax increases or these new EPA regulations, the President is taking the side of wealthy special interest groups and leaving hard working, middle class, Americans to fend for themselves.

Duffy continued, "While the President was touting his global warming campaign this winter, Wisconsinites were experiencing record low temperatures coupled with record high heating costs -- often up to four times their normal bill with no guarantee of supplies. Today's announcement is one more hit on the already battered middle class. Not only do we not want these new regulations, we simple can't afford them."

Dallas Sloan, General Manager for Barron Electric, which serves the rural areas of Barron and Washburn counties, offered a similar sentiment, "I am disappointed that these rules have been developed by an agency without the input of all of our elected officials in the House and Senate. These new rules could increase members bills by as much 55% by 2030, however the technology to meet these regulations has not been developed, therefore it is difficult to quantify. The median income in this area is well below the State average and passing on these costs to members that already have difficulty paying electric bills could be devastating to their quality of life."

On March 6, 2014, the House passed, and Rep. Duffy voted for, H.R. 3826, the Electricity Security and Affordability Act, which prevents these rules from taking effect unless the House and Senate approve them by law. Senate Democrats have thus far blocked the measure from coming to the Senate floor for a vote.

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