WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor calling on Senate Democrats to allow a true energy debate that focuses on helping the Middle Class:

“Later today, we expect the President to talk about the weather at the White House. Presumably, he’ll use the platform to renew his call for a national energy tax. And I’m sure he’ll get loud cheers from liberal elites — from the kind of people who leave a giant carbon footprint and then lecture everybody else about low-flow toilets.

“But the vast majority of Middle Class Kentuckians I represent actually have to worry about things like paying utility bills. And putting food on the table. And finding a job in this terrible economy. They’re less interested in ‘just doing something’ on energy — they want to do the smart thing. What they want are practical solutions to the problems and the stresses they’re dealing with every day. 

“That’s what we should be focusing on this week — because this debate shouldn’t be about alleviating the guilt complexes of liberal elites. It should be about actually achieving the best outcome for the environment, for energy security, and – most importantly – for the people we were sent here to represent.

“And one thing that seems clear is this: even if we were to enact the kind of national energy regulations the President seems to want so badly, it would be unlikely to meaningfully impact global emissions anyway unless other major industrial nations do the same.

“That means getting countries like China and India on board.

“The President knows that.

“The President also knows that much of the pain of imposing such regulations would be borne by the Middle Class.

“That’s why this discussion has become so cynical.

“And it’s part of the reason the President’s own party couldn’t even pass a national energy tax when it had complete control of Washington. The American people weren’t willing to go along with considerable domestic pain for negligible global gain then. It’s foolish to think they’d assent to a bad idea now.

“And remember: even the President’s own party in the Senate won’t bring up the President’s proposal for a national energy tax, despite their overnight speeches and complaints about everyone else.

“Of course, none of this has stopped the President from trying to get his way anyway. That’s why we’ve seen his Administration attempt to do an end run around the legislative process – to try to impose a similar agenda through executive fiat.

“Well, it needs to be stopped. The President’s regulations are hurting people, often, people who are already struggling and vulnerable — the very people the President claims he wants to help.

“Our constituents are being hurt because of a cynical political agenda, because of a War on Coal and other sources of American energy that the Far Left flank of the Democrat Party demands.

“And the Middle Class doesn’t even have a meaningful say in this discussion, because the President has decided the Congress the people elect doesn’t really matter anymore.

“Republicans are trying to change that this week.

“We’ve asked the Democrat Majority Leader to allow votes on energy amendments that would let our constituents have a say for once.

“My constituents in Kentucky should be able to weigh in on an EPA rule that would negatively impact existing and future coal plants.

“Kentuckians deserve a real say on ongoing regulatory efforts to tie up mining permits — and the red tape that’s stifling the creation of good jobs in coal country.

“Our constituents should finally be truly heard on the Keystone Pipeline they overwhelmingly support.

“And the American people deserve a real debate on how we can best tap our own extraordinary natural resources to achieve energy independence at home and how we can help our allies overseas through increased exports of American energy.

“These are the kinds of things we should be voting on this week — proposals that can help our economy and boost Middle Class incomes and jobs while strengthening our national security and lessening our dependence on foreign sources of energy.

“But we can’t move forward if the Democrats who run the Senate keep trying to protect the President at the expense of serving their constituents.

“We know they’re getting pressure from the White House to shut down a real debate on energy. One of the President’s aides yesterday made it clear that it will be leaning on Democrat Senators to ‘get the right outcome.’

“In other words, to do the White House’s political bidding – and to once again ensure that struggling Middle Class Americans get the short end of the stick from Democrats in Washington.

“Look: the American Middle Class is hurting. By a two-to-one margin, Americans say the country’s economic conditions are poor. Only about a quarter say there are enough jobs available where they live.

“And they’ve been suffering from years of spiking electricity prices that would only get worse if the President’s agenda were fully realized.

“These are the people who deserve our attention and support.

“Not the Far Left.

“Not the activists who yell the loudest and appear to care the least about who their ideas hurt.

“And not the President’s political fixers in the White House.

“These are not the people we should be focusing on.

“It’s time to start paying attention to the people who actually sent us here.

“They deserve a robust debate about how to develop policies that can actually lead to lower utility bills, that can put coal families back to work, that can help create well-paying jobs, that can help increase energy security, and that can help prevent energy from being used as a tool of war and oppression by global adversaries.

“That’s why we were sent here.

“And if Democrats have good ideas on energy too, this is the time to share them.

“We want to hear every serious idea.

“The American people have waited seven long years for a serious energy debate in the Democrat-run Senate.

“It’s about time they got it.”