FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, October 14, 2008:
Contact: Phil Kerpen (202) 349-5880

WASHINGTON — The free-market grassroots group Americans for Prosperity (AFP) today applauded U.S. House of Representatives Candidate Melissa Hart (PA-4th) for signing the group’s “No Climate Tax Pledge.” By doing so, Hart pledges to “oppose legislation relating to climate change that includes a net increase in federal revenue.” Nearly 200 public officials and candidates have signed the pledge to date.

“The one thing elected officials should be able to agree on is that global warming should not be used as an excuse to hike taxes on citizens and businesses,” said AFP Policy Director Phil Kerpen. “We encourage all of Pennsylvania’s elected officials and candidates for elected office to sign the pledge.”

Proposed cap-and-trade legislation on the federal level, introduced by Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and John Warner (R-VA), is scored by the 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 Kerpen. “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.