House Approves "Cap-and-Tax" Bill; Really a Cap & Theft Bill

Today, the House of Representatives passed HR 2454 the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (the "Cap and Trade Energy Bill"). H.R. 2454, also known as the called Waxman-Markey bill by a vote of 219 to 212. Unfortunately, as Bill Wilson, President, Americans for Limited Government President, expressed concern that the House "handed over the nation's energy policy to a radical faction that has but one agenda: to wreck the nation's economic standing in the world by making energy unaffordable, eliminating real jobs, and sealing away American natural resources from an economy that will be unable to grow without them. They have opened up a Pandora's box"

Myron Ebell, CEI Director of Energy and Global Warming Policy, said, "House Democratic leaders have managed to squeeze a 1510-page energy-rationing bill through the House on a 219 to 212 vote by filling it full of payoffs to special interests, not releasing the full text until 3 AM the night before the vote, and restricting debate to three hours."

As reported earlier, Cap and Trade will increase their costs and reduce their competitiveness, hurting our nation’s economy. These higher operating costs for utilities, oil companies, and industry will ultimately trickle down to individual Americans, resulting in an estimated 74% more for gasoline, 90% more for electricity, and 55% more on our natural gas bills. And that’s not the end of it. We’ll also pay more for every product that requires fossil fuels in its manufacture or transportation!

Congratulations to Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) and Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) for their magnificent leadership against the bill. While a large number of democrats voted against the bill, eight Republicans voted for this monstrosity and provided the margin of victory. Their name are identified in italics in the following vote summary. The payoffs must have been enormous.

The bill now moves on to the Senate where the Senate is expected to write their own version of the bill. We can only hope the light shined by Boehner and others on the House democrats' secret late night shenanigans will awake the public. It is time to stop bills that affect all Americans from being rammed through Congress without adequate time for the public to read and reflect on the proposed actions for which they will have to pay and sacrifice let alone have their very lifestyles changed. It is also disappointing that Fox News channel rather than serving the public on this important travesty against the American people opted to do non-stop reporting on day old news of a dead rock star which will have no effect on America's future. Of course, maybe ratings are more important to them than reporting on an event which will change all Americans in the future.

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