Today, House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Doc Hastings (WA-04) issued the following statement regarding the House and Senate Western Caucuses’ joint hearing on the Democrats’ National Energy Tax plan:

“While most of today’s news is focused on the status of the Democrats’ government-run healthcare plan, Americans should know that the threat of a National Energy Tax is as real as ever.

“In fact, earlier this week, a Senate Democrat reported that committees are on track to move forward with their National Energy Tax bill by the end of September.

“It is important for us to continue educating Americans about how the Democrats’ plan will cost 2.5 million American jobs, decrease our Gross Domestic Product by 2.5 percent, and raise gasoline prices by 58 percent.

“As the West suffers from a 10.2 percent unemployment rate – the highest regional rate in the country - now is the worst time possible for the Democrat Congress to move forward with their job-killing National Energy Tax.

“Instead, Congress should drop this legislation and finally consider the Republican American Energy Act – an all-of-the-above energy plan that encourages the development of a wide range of energy like nuclear, wind, solar, hydropower, and biomass while increasing production of American-made oil and natural gas.

“This all-of-the-above approach is the best way to create new American jobs, reduce carbon emissions and promote cleaner energy sources.”

# # #

Print version of this document