The phrase “first, do no harm” is not actually contained in the medical communities’ Hippocratic Oath. It may not be in the oath, but with the legislation coming out of Washington these days, it is good advice for lawmakers.

 

It is for that reason that I will not support the cap and tax legislation making its way through Congress. This proposal will lead to higher taxes, fewer jobs and more bureaucracy. In short, it will do more harm than good.

 

New taxes will hit every Missouri family, producer and small business owner. For agriculture, the energy tax would be a double hit. Not only would farmers be taxed for the fuel they use, but they would also see higher taxes on applications they depend on like fertilizer.

 

The $646 billion dollar tax would hit the poor the hardest because they spend a greater portion of their income on energy. Various studies suggest that America will lose between 1.8 to 7 million jobs as a result of this new tax.

 

This bill would put our manufacturers at a self-imposed disadvantage when competing against India and China. Worse yet, placing more restrictions and taxes on manufacturers will simply drive more manufacturing jobs out of the country. We want those manufacturing plants and the jobs they create here in America, not overseas.

 

I support increasing American energy production, promoting greater efficiency and conservation, and increasing the use of alternative and renewable fuels. But I will oppose this bill because it will hurt our families, producers and small business owners.

 

# # #