Washington, D.C. , Mar 12 -

As many of you know, the House of Representatives last year passed cap-and-trade legislation by a narrow margin. I continue to strongly oppose the measure because it is nothing more than a job-killing national energy tax. With the average price for a gallon of regular gas in Missouri hovering around $2.58, consumers cannot afford this legislation which will drive up the cost of nearly every good and service in America. As I listen to the people of the 9th District, it is clear that they understand the impact that this national energy tax will have on their families and the overall impact on manufacturing, agriculture and small businesses.

Instead, we must move forward with an “all of the above” strategy that focuses on developing and using all forms of America’s energy potential including oil, natural gas, coal, wind, solar, bio-fuels, nuclear power, hydroelectric and efficiency measures. Not only will this lessen our dependence on foreign oil being produced by hostile nations, it will also create American jobs. That’s why I am a proud co-sponsor of the American Energy Act, which embraces this all of the above approach.

But while the cap-and-tax legislation languishes in the Senate, the Administration has decided to bypass the elected representatives of the American people and implement their own heavy handed version of cap-and-tax through an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) endangerment finding. This endangerment finding – and the regulatory and legal red tape that flows from this expansion of government – paves the way to create new permitting and pollution control rules that could ultimately affect office buildings, hotels, restaurants, hospitals, churches, farms and different types of small businesses.

Earlier this month I joined with many of my House colleagues in sponsoring a House Resolution of Disapproval of EPA Action preventing the implementation of such job-killing regulations. I am also a co-sponsor of legislation introduced by Tennessee Congressman Marsha Blackburn that would legislatively prohibit EPA from regulating carbon dioxide under the Clean Air Act.

The EPA’s endangerment finding represents a clear and present danger to our economy and to all of our efforts to provide the conditions for job growth and prosperity.  With unemployment hovering around 10 percent, now is certainly not the time to put additional economic burdens on our hard-working families. Rest assured, I will continue to fight against legislation that expands the role of government and increases taxes and instead support an energy policy that creates jobs and spurs economic growth.

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