Rep. John Kline (R-MN), the top Republican on the U.S. House Education and Labor Committee, joined the leaders of seven other congressional committees to demand a full, fair, and open debate of pending climate tax legislation.
“The Democrats’ plan imposes a national energy tax through their cap-and-trade scheme. It’s a recipe for economic disaster at a time when our economy is reeling,” said Kline.
The Democrats’ bill stands at 1,113 pages and was referred to nine separate congressional committees because of its size and scope. Provisions under the jurisdiction of the Education and Labor Committee include wage mandates, worker training programs, and environmental education initiatives. However, Democrats have already discharged the bill from the Education and Labor panel’s docket, waiving the right to consider or modify provisions that could have major consequences for workers, employers, and families.
“As elected officials, we have a duty to our constituents to have a full and open debate about such a radical shift in energy policy,” continued Kline. “It’s a duty being thwarted by the Democratic leadership, who are using strong-arm tactics to prevent their Chairmen from fulfilling their legislative responsibilities.”
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