
Houston Texas Four Republican Texas Members of Congress today jointly hosted a Texas Energy Summit in Houston to discuss with leading energy experts what the Cap-and-Trade" National Energy Tax will mean for Texas jobs and Texas families.
The Cap-and-Trade" National Energy Tax will create an artificial market for greenhouse gas emissions requiring industries to pay for the right to produce. As the nations top energy producer Texas will be most affected by cap-and-trade through higher energy costs to consumers and significant job loss especially in energy sectors. The House of Representatives passed the National Energy Tax on Friday June 26.
Last week Republicans fought hard to prevent the utter destruction of our economy. Despite the Administrations repeated promises of transparency this bill was rushed through before the public or even most members of Congress had time to read it. It now threatens to lock the U.S. into an era of economic stagnation and global decline that will kill American industry and send jobs overseas. And what do we get for all that money and suffering? EPA scientists say it may only drop the average global temperature by less than 1 degree Fahrenheit" said Congressman Joe Barton. Every member at this Summit is concerned about how prices are impacting our constituents and Texas economy. But we know we are not helpless - we need to produce more American energy for our families and businesses."
Held at the University of Houston Clear Lake the Texas Energy Summit featured House Energy & Commerce Committee Ranking Member Joe Barton (TX-06) Congressman John Culberson (TX-07) Congressman Pete Olson (TX-22) and Congressman Pete Sessions (TX-32). In addition to highlighting legislative solutions that will lower energy prices for Texas families and create national energy independence the Members heard from leading energy experts regarding the projected consequences of the National Energy Tax on specific energy industries Texas unemployment and consumer costs.
The Texas Energy Summit expert panelists included Victor G. Carrillo Chairman of Texas Railroad Commission; Robert Bradley CEO of Institute for Energy Research; Pat French Senior Vice President or Texas Alliance for Energy Producers; and Bob Kahn President of Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT).
The facts are clear: Nancy Pelosis National Energy Tax will kill Texas jobs raise prices on hardworking families and do little to clean up our environment" stated Congressman Sessions. Congress top priority should be creating jobs and growing our economy by advancing American-made energy production and promoting cleaner more energy-efficient resources and technologies. Instead Democrats answer to the worst recession in decades is a National Energy Tax that will eliminate over 4000 jobs in my district. This is not the change Texans deserve."
Congressman John Culberson said The cap and trade plan recently passed by House Democrats is the equivalent to a light switch tax - Texans will pay higher taxes every time we turn on our lights. To lift our economy out this recession Republicans are working to cut spending and to cut taxes on individuals and businesses. We are also working to open up domestic sources of oil and gas and build new nuclear reactors for the short term while promoting conservation and investment in alternative energy and new technology for the future."
Congressman Pete Olson said We need an all of the above energy plan to keep energy affordable and reliable. The National Energy Tax is simply a shell game to funnel billions of taxpayer and industry dollars through government to fund a restrictive energy plan. This plan allows the government to decide which energy jobs stay and which energy jobs go. That is not the role of government and Americans should be outraged. Heritage Foundation analysis of this bill concluded that my district could lose up 5000 jobs in 2012 alone. Thats a high price to pay for a job killing plan that wont even reduce carbon emissions."
From flipping on a light switch to buying a gallon of milk the cost of cap-and-trade will be passed along to consumers in the form of higher prices for energy and products. ERCOT estimates that federal regulations on greenhouse gas emissions could boost the monthly electricity bill for the average Texas consumer from $27 - $54.1 The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts estimates that cap-and-trade will cost Texas up to 311600 jobs by 2020 and cost the average Texas family an additional $1136 on household goods and services over the next year.2
In contrast to the National Energy Tax the Texas members highlighted energy proposals they support that would create new clean energy jobs expand natural gas and traditional energy production reduce Washington bureaucracy and frivolous lawsuits over energy production and provide tax incentives for conservation efficiency and new technologies. To learn more visit
www.gop.gov/energy.