Americans for Prosperity Applauds U.S. Representative Tom Cole

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, May 19, 2009
Contact: Stuart Jolly (405) 974-5164 or Phil Kerpen (202) 349-5880

Americans for Prosperity Applauds U.S. Representative Tom Cole

-Signs No Climate Tax Pledge-

EDMOND-The Oklahoma chapter of the free-market grassroots group Americans for Prosperity (AFP-OK) today applauded U.S. Representative tom Cole (4th District) for signing the group’s “No Climate Tax Pledge.” By doing so, Cole joins over 180 lawmakers on the federal, state and local levels pledging to “oppose legislation relating to climate change that includes a net increase in government revenue.” Other Oklahoma signers include U.S. Rep. John Sullivan (1st District), Oklahoma Speaker of the House Chris Benge (68th District) and three other members of the State House.

“The one thing elected officials should be able to agree on is that global warming shouldn’t be used as an excuse to hike taxes on citizens and businesses,” said AFP-OK State Director Stuart Jolly. “We encourage all of Oklahoma’s elected officials and candidates for elected office to sign the pledge.”

President Obama has made no secret of his intent to advance the cap-and-trade legislation, which would amount to the largest tax increase in American history. One version of the scheme, introduced last year by Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and John Warner (R-VA), is scored by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office as a net revenue increase of $1.2 trillion within just the first 7 years the bill is in effect.

“Using the guise of climate change to transfer dollars from hard-working citizens to bureaucratic big government is unacceptable,” said Jolly. “Regardless of their stance on global warming, this should be common ground for all of our elected officials at all levels of government.”

The pledge is available online at www.NoClimateTax.com. AFP does not endorse candidates. All elected officials and candidates are encouraged to sign the pledge and go on the record in opposition to using the climate change issue to increase taxes and grow the size of government.


Americans for Prosperity (AFP) is the nation’s premier grassroots organization committed to advancing every individual’s right to economic freedom and opportunity. AFP believes reducing the size and scope of government is the best safeguard to ensuring individual productivity and prosperity for all Americans. AFP educates and engages citizens in support of restraining state and federal government growth, and returning government to its constitutional limits. For more information, visit www.americansforprosperity.org

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