For Immediate Release – Monday, April 27, 2009
Contact: Phil Kerpen or James Valvo, 202-349-5880

WASHINGTON – With global warming legislation advancing in Congress, many Americans are concerned that it may be used as a vehicle to hide new tax hikes. That's why Americans for Prosperity, a leading national free-market grassroots organization, created NoClimateTax.com. Through the web site, thousands of activists have been asking members of Congress and state legislators to sign the pledge committing not to use a global warming bill as a vehicle for raising revenue.

“Republican leadership listened to the American people and signed the NoClimateTax.com pledge,” said AFP Policy Director Phil Kerpen, who directs the project for AFP. “Republican Leader John Boehner, Whip Eric Cantor, and Conference Chairman Mike Pence have all joined Rep. Tom Price, chairman of the conservative Republican Study Committee, by putting in writing their clear commitment to oppose any global warming bill that includes a net increase in federal government revenue.”

The pledge has attracted the signatures of over 100 lawmakers at the federal, state and local levels. The Republican leadership is joined by 17 other U.S. Representatives.

“We urge Democratic leadership, as well as rank-and-file members of both parties, to sign the pledge, take hidden tax hikes off the table, and have an honest environmental debate,” Kerpen said. “We can only assume that anyone who refuses to sign is really interested in raising tax revenues, not in addressing global warming.”

The full text of the pledge is:
“I, ___________________________, pledge to the taxpayers of the State of _________________ and to the American people that I will oppose any legislation relating to climate change that includes a net increase in federal government revenue.”

A regularly updated list of signers, including scans of the signed pledges and local press releases, is available on the web at www.noclimatetax.com.

Americans for Prosperity will be taking to the road promoting the NoClimateTax.com pledge and educating Americans about the cost of cap-and-trade and other global warming policies this week in its Hot Air Tour, with stops in South Bend, Ind., Sterling Heights, Mich., Toledo, Ohio, Erie, Pa., Pittsburgh, Pa., and Charleston, W.Va.. For full information on the tour go to www.hotairtour.org.