Washington, DC – While the American people continue to list climate change among the issues they care about the least, Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Hollywood), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, reported legislation out of his committee today that elevates that issue above all others, even as our economy founders and the benefits of cap-and-trade become less defensible by the day.
Thomas J. Pyle, president of the American Energy Alliance (AEA), issued the following statement:
“From the gasoline that fuels our freedom of movement, to the coalthat powers our businesses, to the natural gas used to heat and coolour homes, energy is the foundation of our economy. It’s everywhere youlook, it’s in every product you purchase and consume, and it generatesmillions of good-paying jobs. Unfortunately, the Energy Committee todayeffectively voted today to ship these jobs overseas, and fundamentallyalter the American way of life.
“This is no movie folks. These are real jobs and real people. Coalminers in Pittsburgh, farmers in the heartland, and engineers andscientists in the labs – all make their living through available,affordable, and efficient forms of energy. If this legislation isenacted, many of these individuals will be end up unemployed and theirindustry shipped overseas. The Chairman may have bought off enough ofhis fellow lawmakers to get this legislation out of his committee, buton cap-and-trade, he’ll find the American people aren’t as cheap a date.
“Make no mistake, this bill puts the government in the driver’s seatand tells U.S. citizens to sit in the back seat, keep quiet, and acceptthe government’s control of the direction their lives will take. Itsintrusion into the lives of the all Americans is breathtaking – and inthe words of its supporters, transformational. Americans who value ahigh quality of life and liberty, and want the same for their childrenand grandchildren, will not like this transformation.”
The American Energy Alliance (AEA) is a not-for-profitorganization that engages in public policy advocacy and debatesurrounding the function, operation, and government regulation ofglobal energy markets. AEA, an affiliate of the Institute for EnergyResearch, works to educate and mobilize citizens around the idea thatfreely-functioning energy markets provide the most efficient andeffective solutions to today’s global energy and environmentalchallenges.
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