News and Views

LEWIS WARNS OF JOB LOSSES PREDICTED UNDER CAP-AND-TAX ENERGY BILL

            WASHINGTON – Congressman Jerry Lewis Friday vigorously opposed the energy plan brought to the House floor Friday, warning that economists have predicted millions of jobs could be lost because of higher energy taxes associated with the plan.

            Lewis issued the following statement regarding the bill, H.R. 2454:

            “As my constituents received more information about this bill in the past week, thousands of them called my office to register their voices in a resounding “No!” I have let them know that my vote will be “No!” as well.”

            “This plan has the potential to do great damage to our economy, and specifically to do great harm to the most important players in our economy, the small business owners. At a time when we must do everything we can to create jobs, here we are talking about raising taxes on the basic energy supplies that are so vital to small businesses. There is no doubt that this plan is going to raise energy costs, and those increased costs are going to quickly become the burden of the small business owner and the American worker.”

            “In the name of cleaning the environment, people are promoting experimental technology that is years away from effective use – and may in the end cause more environmental damage than our current technology. In the name of a “greener tomorrow,” people are proclaiming that we will create many new jobs in the long term. But we have also had dire predictions of millions of jobs being lost right now because of higher energy costs, when we can least afford it.”

            “We need to look to the future and develop new energy sources that reduce our need for foreign oil. But our best decisions have always been those made on sound science and economic common sense, not on pipedreams that may have to be that must be funded on the backs of regular Americans.”

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