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Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green) made the following statement in response to Vice President Biden’s visit to Perrysburg earlier today. 

“If the Obama administration truly wants to protect and create jobs, the President and Congressional Democrats must stop their consideration of the Cap and Trade legislation that will result in a massive national energy tax on American businesses and families. 

Under The Heritage Foundation’s Manufacturing Vulnerability Index, Ohio’s Fifth District is the third most vulnerable district in the nation under Cap and Tax because of Ohio’s reliance on coal generated power.  President Obama stated in an interview that electric rates will “necessarily skyrocket” under this proposal.  As power suppliers will be taxed on their emissions, those suppliers will then pass that cost directly along to consumers.  Manufacturers who consume large amounts of power for production will be forced to make tough decisions on whether or not to take their jobs overseas when they are forced to pay more to simply turn on the lights.   The Brookings Institution estimates that within ten years there will be a .5 percent job loss across the United States and the Heritage Foundation estimates that Cap and Tax will result in the loss of 2.47 million American jobs by 2035.

Congressional Republicans want an “all of the above” energy strategy to get this nation moving.  We are promoting alternatives such as solar, wind, ethanol, bio-mass, and hydrogen.  We must also continue to develop nuclear, clean coal, oil, natural gas, and geothermal.  America can no longer rely on foreign oil, specifically from the Middle East, as they continue to artificially dictate prices.  The United States has an abundance of oil and natural gas that we can tap into that will immediately lower energy prices and reduce our dependency on foreign sources of energy.”