WASHINGTON, D.C. – As another California-Massachusetts duo unveiled their version of a cap-and-trade bill, U.S. Senator Kit Bond today rallied with a group of Republican senators during a news conference to protect American families, farmers and workers from higher energy prices and job losses.

 

            “The Boxer-Kerry bill is a giant new energy tax on America’s families and workers,” said Bond.  “Hard to believe, but Boxer-Kerry is even worse than the other California-Massachusetts bill, Waxman-Markey.  My Missouri constituents are saying no to this job-killing and tax-raising bill and so will I.”

 

            During the news conference, Bond expressed concern that like Waxman-Markey, the new Boxer-Kerry cap-and-trade bill will also raise energy prices, eliminate jobs in the manufacturing- and coal-dependent Midwest, South and Great Plains, and exacerbate problems for many American families already suffering from the economic recession. Bond explained that the Boxer-Kerry bill sets a stricter emissions target, strips programs in the House bill to help protect energy-intensive manufacturing jobs exposed to unfair competition in China, and removes House agriculture provisions that require the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to be fair to ethanol producers, even though experts projected the Waxman-Markey cap-and-trade bill will eliminate 2.4 million jobs (even after accounting for green jobs), In addition to these issues with the Boxer-Kerry bill, Bond also pointed out that key details of the plan remain hidden and programs to blunt the cost of the increases are not funded.

 

Bond’s statement during the press conference was bolstered by visits to his office from the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives (AMEC) and the Missouri Farm Bureau (MFB) earlier this week. During the visits, each group presented Bond with thousands of correspondence signed by Missouri constituents against cap-and-trade legislation.  Members of the AMEC presented Bond with more than 50,000 postcards signed by cooperative consumer-members. The Association also presented the Senator with a recent study commissioned by several Missouri electric service providers including the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives, AmerenUE, and KCP&L that found that in 2020 Missouri customers can expect price increases between 25 and 42 percent and as much as 77 percent under the Waxman-Markey bill.  Bond also accepted more than 3,400 letters signed by Missouri farmers and ranchers who oppose cap-and trade legislation from Charlie Kruse, President of the MFB.  

 

“We want to make sure our members’ voices are heard,” said Barry Hart, Executive Vice President and CEO of the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives. “The thousands of cards are tangible evidence that cooperative consumers are paying attention and have real concerns about this legislation.

 

“Our members are knowledgeable about this cap-and-trade legislation and they are very concerned,” said Kruse. “We appreciate all of Senator Bond’s hard work on this issue. If the goal of Congress is to transfer money from the pockets of American families to the federal coffers then the bill that the House has passed is a good one.”

 

            While opposed to a massive energy tax, Bond is one of the strongest supporters of efforts to reduce carbon emissions through increased use of zero-carbon nuclear power, low-carbon biofuels, increased investment in clean coal technologies, low-carbon hybrid and plug-in vehicles, and solar and wind power where it makes economic sense.

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