Democrats will bring their cap and trade junk science bill to House Energy and Commerce Committee today. GOP members who were blocked from previous discussions on the bill will now have a shot at derailing this devastating tax on Americans.
In case you forgot what cap and trade was all about, Democratic Congressman John Dingell (D-MI) summed it up nicely at a Congressional hearing on April 24th, “It’s a Great Big Tax!”
Barack Obama admitted the bill will cause energy costs to skyrocket in a 2008 interview. The initiative will cost American families $700 to $1,400 dollars each year…
Just what American families need during a recession.
Roll Call has more on today’s debate, via Free Republic:
Republicans will take their first shot at derailing a top Democratic priority — climate change legislation — by offering as many as 200 amendments when the House Energy and Commerce Committee begins marking up its bill this afternoon.
The markup, which could stretch over several days, probably provides House Republicans with their best opportunity for offering changes to a bill that will likely see limited amendments on the floor.
“Our folks are united against cap-and-trade,” Energy and Commerce member Fred Upton (R-Mich.) said of the carbon control policy being pushed by Democrats.
Last week, Democrats agreed among themselves on a plan setting national standards for renewable energy and electricity use. Moreover, the plan would limit carbon emissions through a cap-and-trade system that would auction off or give away credits for emitting greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide.
Ranking member Joe Barton (R-Texas) will offer an alternative plan that would still set carbon emission standards for new coal and natural gas plants but grandfather in all existing plants. Current plants would receive accelerated depreciation on technology that they install to improve their efficiency.
Barton — a longtime ally of the oil industry and skeptic of the scientific basis of global warming — believes the Democratic bill does not provide companies enough time to develop technologies that could limit carbon emissions. He said the plans for limiting carbon should be held off on until at least 2015.
