Contact: Matt Dempsey matt_dempsey@inhofe.senate.gov (202) 224-9797

Strong Bi-Partisan Majority Votes Down Climate Tax in Budget

WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Ranking Member on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, joined a strong bi-partisan majority in voting to keep a devastating climate tax out of the budget. The Johanns amendment, number 735, to prohibit the use of budget reconciliation for cap-and-trade legislation, passed by a vote of 67-31.

"I was pleased to join an overwhelming bi-partisan majority in opposing  the inclusion of reconciliation instructions in the budget resolution," Senator Inhofe said. " Reconciliation was designed for deficit reduction, not major policy initiatives like climate change, which should be fully debated through regular order in the Committees of jurisdiction. Further, use of such procedures for climate legislation rejects the twin goals of transparency and bipartisanship so often mentioned by the Administration.

"I appreciate the leadership of Senator Johanns and Byrd on this important issue. Opposition to this tactic came from both sides of the aisle, both sides of the Capitol, and all sides of the climate debate itself, including those who have co-sponsored or otherwise supported cap-and-trade.  Passage of the Johanns-Byrd amendment now allows the full Senate to have a full, open, and honest debate about cap-and-trade legislation, which we all know amounts to an enormous new energy tax on the American people."  

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