Thursday
Jun252009
Boehner Accuses Pelosi Of Killing Jobs And Creating More CO2 Through Waxman-Markey Support
Thursday, June 25, 2009 at 2:23PM
By Sam Wechsler-Talk Radio News Service
House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) voiced strong opposition Thursday to Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) support of the American Clean Energy and Security Act, also known as the Waxman-Markey bill.
Boehner began a press conference Thursday asking, “Where are the jobs?”, complaining that three million jobs have already been lost this year and that new jobs are not coming from government spending but from small businesses. He then stated that the upcoming Waxman-Markey bill would force small businesses to pay more for high energy and cost 2.3 to 2.7 million Americans their jobs.
“Mark my words, the American people are going to remember this vote. This will be a defining moment and a defining vote in this Congress,” said Boehner.
The Minority Leader argued that the bill will not cause carbon dioxide emissions to decrease, but will instead result in an increase. Once the high energy sector jobs have been shipped overseas, the energy companies in India and China will import more American coal, Boehner explained. He added that since China and India do not have the technology America does, when the country burns the coal to produce energy they will create five times more carbon dioxide emissions than if the coal was burned in the U.S.
“[Waxman-Markey] is the most convoluted idea I’ve ever seen,” Boehner said.
House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) voiced strong opposition Thursday to Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) support of the American Clean Energy and Security Act, also known as the Waxman-Markey bill.
Boehner began a press conference Thursday asking, “Where are the jobs?”, complaining that three million jobs have already been lost this year and that new jobs are not coming from government spending but from small businesses. He then stated that the upcoming Waxman-Markey bill would force small businesses to pay more for high energy and cost 2.3 to 2.7 million Americans their jobs.
“Mark my words, the American people are going to remember this vote. This will be a defining moment and a defining vote in this Congress,” said Boehner.
The Minority Leader argued that the bill will not cause carbon dioxide emissions to decrease, but will instead result in an increase. Once the high energy sector jobs have been shipped overseas, the energy companies in India and China will import more American coal, Boehner explained. He added that since China and India do not have the technology America does, when the country burns the coal to produce energy they will create five times more carbon dioxide emissions than if the coal was burned in the U.S.
“[Waxman-Markey] is the most convoluted idea I’ve ever seen,” Boehner said.
Sen. Brown: Climate Bill Will Not Pass Without Manufacturers' Approval
Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) said the American Clean Air and Security Act will not make it through the Senate if harmful economic consequences facing the manufacturing industry are not addressed.
"I don't think there's any way we get to even 50 votes if we don't deal with manufacturing in the climate change bill," Brown told reporters in a conference call organized by Campaign for America's Future. "I do know for sure that there are a number of us who understand that manufacturing is so important to this country that if we don't do manufacturing right, our standard of living will continue to decline."
The American Clean Air And Security Act passed through the House of Representatives late June under the stewardship of Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) and Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.). The bill seeks to put a cap on greenhouse emissions and levy a tax on carbon.
According to Brown, the concern facing lawmakers is that new climate control legislation would constrict existing environmental regulations, and thus persuade manufacturers to advance overseas production as a means to lower labor and energy costs.
Brown said it is imperative to have at least a temporary "border equalization" step to prevent American manufacturing jobs from relocating to India and China
"We need some sort of border equalization ... temporary not permanent...until the Chinese and others move in the direction they need to on this issue," Brown said.
The Ohio senator said the President needs to take a more aggressive approach to regain trust from the American public during this week's G-20 summit in Pittsburgh.
"The public has already lost confidence in trade agreements and the way we approach globalization," Brown said.