FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, May 22, 2009
Contact: Phil Kerpen or James Valvo (202) 349-5880

WASHINGTON—The grassroots free market organization Americans for Prosperity today slammed members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee for passing the worst version of cap and trade legislation yet conceived.

The group called particular attention to the votes of Reps. Rick Boucher (D-Va-9), Gene Green (D-Texas-29), Mary Bono Mack (R-Calif.-45), G.K. Butterfield (D-N.C.-1) and Charles Gonzalez (D-Texas-20), who AFP had expected to put the economic interests of their constituents above the special interest lobbyists who pushed cap and trade. All five voted in support of the bill.

“The cap and trade bill that was voted out of the Energy and Commerce Committee was drafted by environmental alarmists and big business lobbyists, negotiated in secret, and passed by offering huge subsidies—at the expense of taxpayers—to buy moderate votes,” said Americans for Prosperity Director of Policy Phil Kerpen. “We applaud the four Democratic members of the committee who broke with their party leadership to do what is best for the working people of their districts.”

Democratic Reps. Mike Ross (D-Ark.-4), Jim Matheson (D-Utah-5), Charlie Melancon (D-La.-3) and John Barrow (D-Ga.-12) all voted against the legislation in committee.

Before the vote was taken, Energy and Environment Subcommittee Chairman Ed Markey (D-Mass.-7) stated, “The vote we are about cast will, in my opinion, be remembered decades from now.”

“Rep. Markey is right; the American people will indeed remember which Members of Congress voted for steeply higher energy prices, less domestic production, and millions of lost jobs,” Kerpen said. “We at Americans for Prosperity are committed to making sure the American people remember, and hold supporters of cap and trade accountable.”