After recent meetings with constituents throughout the 9^th 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 9^th 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.