Blunt: President's Principles on Climate Underscore Need for Balanced Debate

WASHINGTON, April 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- House Republican Whip Roy Blunt (Mo.) issued the following statement today after the president laid out a series of principles on climate change that he hopes will allow our country to curb future growth in its carbon emissions, without bringing undue harm on the future of our economy:

"The president this afternoon described a regulatory future where bureaucrats and judges sitting thousands of miles away could prevent a community from building an electricity plant, expanding a local school, or breaking ground on a new hospital. And though this may represent a nightmare scenario, it's far from an implausible one.

"That's why Republicans in Congress will continue to support policies that channel the power and growth of the American economy to achieve meaningful environmental gains. Part of that includes recognizing these benefits can only be achieved through cutting-edge technologies and an innovative workforce -- not through redundant mandates, billions in new, job-killing taxes, and mountains of red-tape.

"As the debate continues, Congress would do well to pursue a strategy through the tax code that encourages American families and businesses to conserve energy resources and develop alternative sources -- instead of punishing them for living their lives and contributing to our economy. Such a strategy will create new jobs for American workers, help us take meaningful steps toward energy independence, and improve the quality of our environment."

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Source: House Republican Whip Roy Blunt

CONTACT: Chris Tucker, Nick Simpson, or Antonia Ferrier, all of the
Office of Republican Whip Roy Blunt, +1-202-226-7022

2008-04-16 19:15:31 0338149 PRNEWSWIRE