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Luetkemeyer Hears Missourians Opposed to National Energy Tax Loud and Clear

Luetkemeyer Hears Missourians
Opposed to National Energy Tax Loud and Clear  

WASHINGTON, D.C._ After recent meetings with constituents
throughout the 9th District, U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-09) is
encouraged that hard-working Missourians will continue to raise their concerns
about the cap-and-trade legislation that is nothing more than a national energy
tax that will be debated soon by the U.S. Senate.

                “My office
received numerous comments during our recent Constituent Service Days in
opposition to the national energy tax and we are continuing to receive hundreds
of phone calls, emails and posts on Facebook from concerned Missourians who plan
to have their voices heard when this onerous bill is discussed by the Senate,”
Luetkemeyer said. “I proudly voted against this legislation and will continue to
add my voice to those hard-working families who continue to voice their
opposition to this cap-and-tax debacle.”

               Prior to the
passage of the national energy tax bill on June 26 by a 219 to 212 vote,
Luetkemeyer staff visited 19 counties and heard from people angry about the
national energy tax. Luetkemeyer ultimately voted against the tax because it
would impose new energy taxes on everything from gasoline to electricity. The
national energy tax will increase taxes, eliminate jobs or drive them offshore
and significantly raise energy costs, increasing the cost of gasoline at the
pump by up to 77 cents per gallon. Family budgets could see an estimated $3,000
per household tax increase because of the disastrous consequences of the
misguided bill. Furthermore, this national energy tax would increase the
operational costs of businesses, which hurts small business owners and family
farmers and would force many firms to leave this country.  

                The cap-and-tax
bill is also a job killer. According to a study by the Heritage Foundation,
Missouri’s 9th District would lose 2,790 non-farm jobs in 2012, and
the average non-farm job loss for 2012 to 2035 is 1,996.  Luetkemeyer believes
this is unacceptable.