Energy and Commerce Dems to Let Electricity Rates Skyrocket

May 19, 2009

FYI, a version of the release below went out to the following districts: John Barrow (GA-12); Rick Boucher (VA-09); Bruce Braley (IA-01); G.K. Butterfield (NC-01); Baron Hill (IN-09); Jim Matheson (UT-02); Jerry McNerney (CA-11); Charlie Melancon (LA-03); Chris Murphy (CT-05); Mike Ross (AR-04); and Bart Stupak (MI-01).

Chris Murphy to Let Electricity Rates Skyrocket
Votes Against Amendment to Protect Pocketbooks of Middle-Class Families from Rising Electricity Rates

Washington- Democrats on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, including Rep. Chris Murphy (D-CT), are allowing a climate bill to impose new and burdensome regulations on the power and manufacturing industries in America that could cause electric utility rates to skyrocket, killing American jobs and costing American families even more on their energy bills each month.

Chris Murphy voted to kill an amendment that aimed to protect struggling families from soaring utility rates. This amendment would have ensured that electricity rates for residential customers couldn’t increase by more than ten percent over 2009 rates, or else the harmful regulations of U.S. industries contained in this climate bill would no longer be in effect.

“Chris Murphy failed to protect struggling families in Connecticut from crippling utility rates that are inevitable under this Democrat National Energy Tax bill,” said NRCC Communications Director Ken Spain. “Chris Murphy’s refusal to put safeguards in place for American families will only prolong and increase the burden of soaring energy costs across this country.”

There is mounting evidence that under the Democrats’ National Energy Tax plan utility rates will skyrocket and American families and businesses will suffer as a result. There is no mistaking that this bill will drastically burden already struggle families with increased energy costs.

How much more can Connecticut families take?:
The average Connecticut household already pays more than 19 cents per kilowatt-hour for electricity
(Energy Information Administration, Official Energy Statistics from the U.S. Government, Electric Power Monthly with data for January 2009, http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epm/table5_6_a.html)

25.9% of people in Connecticut are past-due on their electric utility bills by about $436.14
(2008 Individual State Report by the NARUC, Consumer Affairs Subcommittee On Collections Data Gathering, http://www.naruc.org/Publications/2008%20NARUC%20Collections%20Survey%20Report.pdf)

President Obama Even Admitted Utility Rates Would “Skyrocket”:
“Under my plan of a cap and trade system electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket … that will cost money. They will pass that money on to consumers …”
(President Barack Obama, Meeting with the Editorial Board at the San Francisco Chronicle, January, 2008)

Deep Concern over Increased Costs:
An overwhelming majority of Americans are deeply concerned about the drastic increase in cost they would bear as a result of the National Energy Tax. Seventy-seven percent of Americans said they are concerned that federal regulation of greenhouse gases could substantially raise the price of things they have to pay for.
(Source: ABC News/Washington Post; conducted April 21-24, 2009; Survey of 1,072 Adults Nationwide)

A new study shows the devastating effects the National Energy Tax will have on the economy:

Electricity rates would spike by 90 percent (after adjusting for inflation)
The annual energy bill for an average family would increase by $1,500

(William W. Beach, David Kreutzer, Ph.D., Karen Campbell, Ph.D. and Ben Lieberman, Heritage Foundation WebMemo #2450, “Son of Waxman-Markey: More Politics Makes for a More Costly Bill,” May 18, 2009)

View the text of the amendment offered by Rep. Roy Blunt here: http://energycommerce.house.gov/Press_111/20090519/hr2454_I_blunt.pdf