“We should not be rushing this cap and tax bill through committee because family farmers and the agriculture community should be shown the courtesy of having their voices heard and concerns addressed before saddling them with higher energy bills during tough economic times,” Luetkemeyer said. “We would hope that the Speaker would show rural Americans that she cares about them by slowing things down in the name of government transparency.”

The cap-and-tax bill will increase taxes, eliminate jobs or drive them offshore and significantly raise energy costs. 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 cost of doing business, which hurts small business owners and family farmers and would force many firms to leave this country.  

“As a result of your stated deadline of June 19 for consideration, the Chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture has told us that there is insufficient time to completely hear from all of our constituents, analyze this complex proposal, and act,” Luetkemeyer and other members of the committee said in the letter to Pelosi. “With the magnitude of this bill, it is critically important that the House Agriculture Committee hassufficient time to work its will.”

While opposed to the national energy tax because of its devastating effects on family farms, Luetkemeyer supports the American Energy Act that includes a renewed commitment to safe and emissions-free nuclear energy with the goal of licensing 100 new nuclear reactors over the next 20 years. Luetkemeyer said that support for nuclear energy in the 9^th District has been significant with even The Columbia Daily Tribune noting on June 12 that “more nuclear generation” is one of the best ways to solve the country’s immediate energy needs.

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