Rep. Steve Scalise, whose strong testimony in last week’s energy hearings made a powerful impact, appeared at the Summit as well.
He focused on the increased cost and lost jobs for Americans that cap and trade would enforce. Congressman Scalise said: “According to Peter Orszag, the President’s own budget director, the average American family would pay about $1300 more in utility costs per year for a 15% reduction in CO2 emissions, which is significantly less than the cap sought in President Obama’s proposed budget. Orszag testified before Congress last year saying that price increases borne by consumers are essential to the success of their ‘cap and trade’ energy tax.”
He noted his membership on the Energy and Commerce Committee and said he would continue to fight against bad policies that threaten the economy. Scalise called cap and trade a “scheme” and said the AESG was committed to providing real energy solutions.
5:00 p.m.
Photos from today's post-Energy Summit Press Conference:
4:47 p.m.
Rep. John Fleming (LA), a member of the House Natural Resources Committee and the Energy and Minerals Resources Subcommittee, spoke out today on the Democrats' cap and tax legislation following today's National Energy Summit. His statement is below:
“It’s time that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle come clean about the cost of cap-and-trade, more accurately described as ‘cap-and-tax’, which is nothing more than a $646 billion national energy tax. This is a bad energy policy that will cost the average American household more than $3,100 per year -- turning on the light switch will mean a 40% increase in utility costs. Impoverished and low income earners cannot make up this increased cost and will be the hardest hit by this policy.
It is not just monthly budgets that will be negatively affected, but jobs and industry as a whole will suffer. We will likely lose 3 to 4 million American jobs if “cap-and-tax” is enacted. Businesses will take whatever necessary measures to decrease the negative effects of this policy; whether it be passing the cost to the American consumer or laying off workers to compensate for the increased cost. Companies looking to invest in our economy will simply move overseas to escape this enormous tax increase and flee stringent environmental protection laws. “Cap-and-tax” will serve as an economic stimulus for countries like India and China, who stand to receive the benefits of an influx of outsourced American business and jobs.
Just last week I received a letter from hospitals in the 4th District of Louisiana who are gravely concerned about this Administration’s energy policy. As one of the state’s leading consumers of electricity, these hospitals wrote to warn me of the expected effects of such far-reaching radical legislation. They have assured me that, if enacted, these policies will force them to dramatically raise healthcare costs on consumers to make up for their increased utility bills.
I too want to protect our environment, but believe we must do it in a way that keeps energy costs low for working families and protects our jobs and small businesses. Cap-and-tax will do nothing to cap greenhouse gases, but it will set the United States at a global economic disadvantage. Simply said, this tax proposal will cap our growth and trade our jobs.”
12:09 p.m.
Rep. Marsha Blackburn (TN) released a statement to the group, reminding how quickly energy costs can stall the economy. She said the Democrats have forgotten this reality.
“They have forgotten how dramatically high gas prices impacted family budgets last summer. They look upon the increased use of mass transit in the wake of those energy costs as a positive development, forgetting that there is no commuter rail, or even public bus system, in many of our rural communities.”
Congresswoman Blackburn agreed that the cap and tax policy forces the government to pick winners and losers and reminded that Republicans believe in clean air, clean water and clean energy.
They also believe in “conserving our environment for future generations,” she said. “We don’t believe that we have to tax the American people out of house and home to do it.”
Congresswoman Blackburn mentioned exploring sensible Republican alternatives like developing American oil resources and safe nuclear power. She concluded:
“Republicans have proposals for safer, cleaner, cheaper domestic energy that will conserve our resources, secure our energy sources, and expand our economy. We do it without picking losers but rather by inspiring the innovative spirit. We do it without making energy more expensive but making energy cheaper. We do it without making power scarcer, but by making it more abundant.”
12:03 p.m.
Rep. Patrick J. Tiberi said the purpose of the AESG was to “enact an energy policy in the United States that is sustainable, that leads our country towards energy independence and that is friendly to our environment.”
Congressman Tiberi promoted the “all of the above” energy solutions and rejected the cap and tax bill floating in Congress now.
He said the Waxman-Markey bill “picks winners and losers” and is unfair to states reliant on certain forms of energy. He noted that his home state was set to lose under cap and tax. Congressman Tiberi said:
“…a cap and tax system would transfer wealth from hardworking households in states like Ohio to other parts of the country and possibly overseas,” Tiberi said. “It is my hope that the members of the Ohio Delegation who are close with those pushing a cap and tax system will work to change any proposals that will unfairly harm Ohio.”
11:57 a.m.
In a released statement, Rep. Todd Tiahrt called the Democrats' costly cap and tax proposal an “assault” on America’s energy independence.
Tiahrt offered a resolution declaring that it is the sense of the House of Representatives that the domestic energy tax incentives should remain in law. Congressman Tiahrt said:
"President Obama and the Democrat Majority seem to have no problem spending trillions of hard-earned taxpayer dollars on bailouts and a so-called stimulus bill, but they want to slap a $30 billion tax increase on American energy producers as part of the FY2010 budget. That $30 billion tax increase will be passed on to us when we refuel our cars and trucks and pay our utility bills."
Congressman Tiahrt noted that 90% of all oil and natural gas producers in the US are small businesses that will suffer enormously under this kind of a tax increase. He concluded:
"I will continue fighting for Kansas jobs and American energy independence despite opposition from President Obama and Washington Democrats. In the end I hope common-sense will prevail and we can put Americans back to work and put our country on a path toward energy independence."
11:47 a.m.
Rep. Glenn Thompson appeared at the Summit today. In a press release published last month, Thompson said he was committed to responsible energy independence:
"The skyrocketing energy prices of a year ago, that brought the economy to its knees, are bound to return if action is not taken by this Congress," Thompson said. "In this time of economic uncertainty, the last thing taxpayers need to worry about are higher energy costs. The group Leader (John) Boehner has assembled will chart a new path toward securing America's energy independence a path that utilizes our vast natural resources and the ingenuity of the American people."
11:42 a.m.
In the question and answer session, Rep. John Shimkus asked the following:
"Isn’t it safe to say there is no way you can adequate --figure out the cost -- until there is a formula with variables? And that has been kept glaringly secretive. The reality is -- we don’t know and even if we do a projection, we can’t really calculate because it’s a guestimate…is that safe to say?"
AEI Fellow Ms. Aparna Mathur and President of Industrial Energy Consumers of America Paul Cicio agreed that the cost of Waxman-Markey or similar legislation is nearly impossible to calculate due to day to day market changes.
11:29 a.m.
A video of President Barack Obama promising that "electricity rates will necessarily skyrocket" under a cap and trade system like Waxman-Markey was shown at the National Energy Summit. Here is the video:
11:25 a.m.
Rep. Michele Bachmann (MN) released a statement, acknowledging that a “serious recession” in America does not call for an increase in taxes, as the Waxman-Markey bill proposes:
“Our government needs to slow down and think twice about enacting an energy policy that will clearly hurt our already struggling economy and financially impact—in the negative—every single American."
Congresswoman Bachmann also advocated the “all of the above” solution that will “increase the supply of clean, affordable, American-made energy.”
11:20 a.m.
Michael Whatley, of the Consumer Energy Alliance, also opposes cap and tax. He presented several principles by which CEA will take into consideration when thinking about alternative policies:
• Minimize increased energy costs and negative economic implications and maximize transparency to energy consumers by allowing market prices drive the selection of carbon-reduction solutions;
• Preserve the American economy and the competitiveness of U.S. industry by ensuring a global solution to a global problem;
• Promote carbon emissions reductions through voluntary energy efficiency and conservation programs and balanced use of fossil fuels and low carbon technologies;
• Promote a broad range of economically viable greenhouse gas reduction technologies;
• Promote expanded development of low-carbon and no-carbon energy production through implementation of “complimentary policies” – such as incentives for new nuclear generation, natural gas development, and wind-based generation and transmission of electricity; and
• Ensure that individual carbon-control, energy, transportation, and environmental initiatives complement each other and consider total costs to society.
“One has only to look at the energy policies and resulting economic performance of the Carter Administration to understand the likely implications of continued efforts to place American energy reserves off-limits, block the development of new low- and no-carbon energy production, raise taxes on oil and gas production, and simultaneously implement both a cap-and-trade program and low carbon fuel standard,” Whatley said.
11:17 a.m.
Photos from the Summit:
Lisa Jaeger, a former official at the Environmental Protection Agency, discusses the inadequacies of the Clean Air Act.
Members of the American Energy Solutions Group
11:16 a.m.
John Engler, former Governor of Michigan and current President of the National Association of Manufacturers, provided a host of helpful graphics to explain his position on our growing energy problems.
He spoke on job loss and rising energy costs if cap and trade were enacted, demonstrating a long term loss from our national economy over the next 20 years.
The powerful graphs gave the National Energy Summit participants a real time visual example of what could happen if the Waxman-Markey bill is passed.
11:15 a.m.
Ben Lieberman, a senior policy analyst at the Heritage Foundation, called the Waxman-Markey cap and tax bill “very expensive” and “nothing more than a massive energy tax.” He noted that annual costs for this kind of legislation will increase for a lifetime.
“But the costs go well beyond consumers. The higher energy costs also kill economic activity and jobs,” Lieberman said. He added that the Heritage Foundation estimated up to 3 million lost jobs under proposals similar to the Waxman-Markey bill.
He pointed out that the least hurt areas of the country are the West Coast and Northeast, where they aren’t nearly as reliant on coal. These are the places, of course, that support Waxman-Markey most.
Lieberman presented the Heritage Foundation’s Vulnerability Index Chart to demonstrate which states will be hit the hardest.
“It is important to be honest and up front with the American people about the costs of Waxman-Markey,” Lieberman said. “While the nationwide costs are substantial, the regional differences are also very important, especially for those states and districts identified by the Manufacturing Vulnerability Index as likely to be very hard hit.”
11:07 a.m.
Aparna Mathur, research fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, discussed the increased cost of living for Americans if the Democrats cap and tax bill is passed. She first touched on the increased costs of production for businesses, who will need to “undertake abatement measures to reduce carbon emissions” or buy expensive permits to continue their normal practices.
As Ms. Mathur noted,“These higher costs of production will translate to higher energy and product prices. In a paper that I co-authored with my colleagues at AEI, we estimate that a cap and trade system, with a $15 permit price, will increase the cost of everything -from food, clothing, shoes and home furnishings by about 1 percent, of gasoline by 7.7%, electricity 12.5%, and natural gas 12.3%.”
She pointed out that price increases will be felt strongly in low-income households, who spend a greater portion of their income on energy consumption and acknowledged that states reliant on coal will be most hurt by cap and tax.
Ms. Mathur concluded:
“The regional distribution of the burden will depend upon the nature of electricity regulation and the form of permit distribution. If permits are freely allocated, the burden will be felt most by consumers in states with electricity deregulation. This would simply aggravate an existing situation where deregulated states have been facing larger price hikes than regulated states making their consumers worse off.”
10:59 a.m.
Dr. Gabriel Calzada, of the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos in Spain just spoke and was followed by Ms. Lisa Jaeger, who served at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. We will have their remarks available after the Summit.
10:52 a.m.
An article in the Los Angeles Times notes the continued increase in gas prices. The summit today addresses ways to reduce energy costs for Americans. According to the Times piece:
"Pump prices in California and around much of the nation continued their ever-so-slow crawl higher over the past week, the Energy Department said Monday. But analysts said gasoline costs might be kicked into a higher gear by a resurgent oil market."
"The average cost of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in California rose 1.5 cents to $2.355, according to the government's weekly survey of filling stations. Nationally, the average increased 2.9 cents to $2.078, led by the Midwest states, which saw a 6.1-cent jump. Since April 13, California prices have climbed 1.9 cents a week on average; the national average is up 2.6 cents a week during the same period."
10:39 a.m.
Leader of the American Energy Solutions Group (AESG) and House Republican Conference Chairman Rep. Mike Pence (IN) spoke today at the Republican Energy Summit, applauding Republican efforts to generate less expensive energy alternatives.
Chairman Pence mentioned the remaining summits to be held in Pittsburg, Indianapolis and California, which will advocate for the same positive alternatives.
“We literally will be taking this conversation on energy across the nation, to the places and the people where the best ideas come from in America,” he said, offering understanding of the deep economic problems that have taken over the country.
Chairman Pence spoke of the millions of job losses Americans have incurred and the trillions of dollars in retirement savings lost. He said the national energy tax, proposed by the Democrats’ costly cap and tax legislation, will kill more jobs and cost more money.
“There is no doubt that the Democrats’ misguided bill will kill jobs, raise taxes and lead to more government intrusion,” said Chairman Pence. “Studies indicate that family energy costs will rise on average by more than $3,100 a year. And those hardest hit by this massive national energy tax will be the poor – who experts agree spend a greater proportion of their income on energy consumption.”
Like many others have mentioned, the Waxman-Markey bill will unfairly penalize certain Midwestern and Southeast states — namely Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Wisconsin and Iowa.
As he wrote recently in a blog post on Redstate, Chairman Pence said, “The reality is the cap and tax legislation offered by the Democrats amounts to an economic declaration of war on the Midwest by liberals on Capitol Hill.”
He re-iterated that Republicans care about protecting the environment, growing the economy and protecting jobs.
“House Republicans want to increase American energy production made by American workers, encourage greater efficiency and conservation, and promote the use of alternative fuels in order to create jobs, grow the economy and establish energy independence,” said Chairman Pence, noting that Republicans will soon offer a plan that includes increased use of of clean and safe nuclear energy, domestic oil production, and energy conservation.
10:34 a.m.
The American Energy Solutions Group (AESG), led by Conference Chairman Mike Pence, begins an Energy Summit right now with remarks from Pence. The panel will include a host of energy experts and leading House Republicans commited to developing new ideas for anenergy policy in America.
This is the first of several energy summits to be hosted across the country. As the Democrats aim to pass costly cap and tax global warming legislation, Republicans are committed to developing real energy solutions that won't raise taxes on the American people.
Today's summit will focus on developing energy policies to lower energy prices and create energy independence across the country.
House Republicans in attendance include Republican Leader John Boehner, Republican Whip Eric Cantor, Conference Chairman Mike Pence, Conference Vice-Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Co-Chair of AESG Rep. John Shimkus, Co-Chair of AESG Rep. Fred Upton and several others.
Witnesses scheduled to appear include the following:
Gov. John Engler- former Governor of Michigan and President of National Association of Manufactures Dr. Gabriel Calzada Alvarez – Universidad Rey Juan Carlos in Spain Mr. Paul Cicio- President of Industrial Energy Consumers of America Ms. Lisa Jaeger – Served at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Mr. Ben Lieberman- Senior Policy Analyst at The Heritage Foundation Ms. Aparna Mathur- Research Fellow at American Enterprise Institute Mr. Michael Whatley- Vice President of Consumer Energy Alliance Mr. Randy Foutch – Chairman and CEO of Laredo Petro
9:50 a.m.
See Rep. Mike Pence (IN) speak about the Energy Summit this morning on MSNBC's Morning Joe:
9:03 a.m.
The American Energy Solutions Group, a new Republican energy working group, will hold an Energy Summit this morning at 10:30 a.m. ET. The summit features leading House Republicans, including Rep. John Boehner, Rep. Mike Pence and Rep. Eric Cantor, as well as a host of energy experts to speak on energy alternatives.
Check back on to the front page of GOP.gov as well as the blog for live coverage of the event. You can also find coverage of the event at the Heritage Foundation's blog, The Foundry and Townhall.com.
Pence appeared on MSNBC's Morning Joe this morning to speak about the event. In his opening remarks, Pence said, "There truly is a better way. House Republicans want to increase American energy production made by American workers, encourage greater efficiency and conservation, and promote the use of alternative fuels in order to create jobs, grow the economy and establish energy independence."
8:00 a.m.
The American Energy Solutions Group Energy Summit begins at 10:30am.
