Fisher Cosponsored Bill To Block Costly National Energy Tax

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, today announced she has cosponsored a bill to prevent President Obama from bypassing Congress to implement a costly national energy tax, which he proposed last month.  Specifically, the “National Energy Tax Repeal Act” would prohibit the issuance through a Presidential Memorandum of new carbon pollution standards for existing coal-fired power plants.
“The president’s energy tax plan is bad news for Nebraskans. The bottom line is more regulations and higher costs for middle class families, who are already over-taxed and over-regulated. This reasonable legislation simply requires the president to submit his new energy tax proposal for a vote in Congress, rather than enacting it through executive fiat. The American people have a right to have their voices heard, and that means having their elected representatives weigh in,” said Fischer.
On June 25^th, President Obama announced that he was issuing a Presidential Memorandum to direct the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to issue carbon pollution standard regulations.  The “National Energy Tax Repeal Act” makes clear that such regulations must be directed by Congress and cannot be issued by EPA unless Congress first authorizes it.
This bill introduced by Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) would:

• Restore Congressional authority by ensuring President Obama cannot circumvent the legislative process and the will of the American people who have opposed his cap-and-trade policies in the past.
• Block a new national energy tax that, once issued, would increase energy costs for seniors, small business owners, low-income households and families.
• Protect jobs in an already struggling economy by preventing energy costs from increasing on American families and businesses.
• Make Congressional intent clear to the public by stating that Congress should act on an affordable clean energy plan, and on protecting communities from severe weather.

Last month, Fischer issued a statement reacting to the President’s proposal to express concern about its negative impact on Nebraskans’ access to affordable, reliable energy and to call on the President to work with members of Congress to pursue bipartisan solutions that will lower energy prices for Americans.