FOWLER – Today, Senator Tim Huelskamp, farmer and congressional candidate (KS-01), joined 185 other national and state leaders in a letter to all members of Congress urging opposition to the Waxman-Markey cap-and-trade bill (H.R. 2454) being considered in several committees in the U.S. Congress. Other Kansas signatories include State Senator Mary Pilcher-Cook and members of the Kansas House: Representative Sharon Schwartz, Representative Don Meyers, and Representative Marc Rhoades.
“As a farmer, I know that increases in the prices for gasoline and diesel fuel, electricity, and natural gas will significantly reduce the bottom line in agriculture,” noted Huelskamp. “Under Waxman-Markey, consumer food prices will increase and net farm income will drop significantly. It is a dangerous proposal we can’t afford.” According to the Heritage Foundation, Waxman-Markey will raise electricity rates 90% after adjusting for inflation, gas prices 74%, natural gas prices 55%, and an average family's annual energy bill by at least $1,500.
“There is one sure-fire way to decrease American competitiveness,” says Grover Norquist, President of Americans for Tax Reform (ATR), “you tax companies and workers so much that they move to other countries – it’s not that hard and Waxman and Markey seem to have that down pat.”
Huelskamp is the only candidate in his Congressional race to sign a similar pledge to oppose cap-and-trade legislation. In May of 2008, Huelskamp signed the "No Climate Tax Pledge," created by the conservative group, Americans for Prosperity.
The full letter with all 186 signatories is available at www.atr.org.
In the past, Senator Huelskamp has won ATR's "Hero of the Taxpayer" award.
