Rep. Culberson Distorts The Truth On The American Clean Energy And Security Act
In a June 29, 2009 blog post on The Hill's "Congress Blog," Rep. John Culberson (R-TX) falsely claimed the American Clean Energy and Security Act would drastically raise costs and kill jobs. In reality, this legislation would create 1.7 million American jobs, reduce harmful emissions and help America become more energy independent - all for the price of a postage stamp per day.
Rep. Culberson Made False Claims About Cap-And-Trade's Effect On Energy Bills
Rep. Culberson: "The cost to Texas alone could reach $20 billion in added electricity costs, which is an increase of more than $600 per household per year in utility bills." [The Hill, 6/29/09]
By 2025, Texans Would Save $21 Billion On Energy & Gas Bills. According to the Center for American Progress and the Union for Concerned Scientists, a national renewable electricity standard would result in total residential, commercial, and industrial savings amounting to $21 billion in Texas alone. [Center for American Progress, 5/19/09]
- By 2025, A Clean Energy Standard Would Save Americans $95 Billion On Energy & Gas Bills. According to the Center for American Progress: "A national renewable electricity standard, a key piece of the clean energy legislation currently before Congress, would save households and businesses in every state billions of dollars in electricity and natural gas bills... The numbers come from the Union of Concerned Scientists, who earlier this year analyzed a renewable electricity standard that would aim to have 25 percent of our electricity come from renewable sources by 2025. They found that this standard would save families and businesses $95 billion in electricity and natural gas bills through 2030 and spur new investments and hundreds of thousands of new clean-energy jobs." [Center for American Progress, 5/19/09]
Rebuilding America For The Cost Of A Postage Stamp:
In 2020, Cap-And-Trade Will Only Cost An Average Of $175 Annually, "About A Postage Stamp A Day." In its analysis of the American Clean Energy and Security Act, the Congressional Budget Office wrote: "On that basis, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that the net annual economy wide cost of the cap-and-trade program in 2020 would be $22 billion-or about $175 per household." Rep. Edward Markey noted it was "the cost of about a postage stamp a day." [CBO, 6/19/09; House Committee on Energy & Commerce Release, 6/20/09]
Cap-And-Trade Would DECREASE Energy Prices For Low-Income Americans. In its analysis of the American Clean Energy and Security Act, the Congressional Budget Office wrote, "households in the lowest income quintile would see an average net benefit of about $40 in 2020." [CBO, 6/19/09; emphasis original]
Rep. Culberson Falsely Stated The American Clean Energy And Reinvestment Act Would Cause Job Losses
Rep. Culberson: "The Heritage Foundation also found that unemployment will increase by nearly 2 million in 2012, the first year of the cap and tax program. District 7 alone is expected to lose more than 4,000 jobs and personal income is projected to decline by over $560 million." [The Hill, 6/29/09]
Investment In Clean Energy Technology Will Create Over 1.7 Million American Jobs. According to the Center for American Progress: "Investments in a clean-energy economy will generate major employment benefits for the entire U.S. economy. Our research finds that spending $150 billion on clean-energy investments would create roughly 1.7 million jobs. This is even after assuming a reduction in fossil fuel spending equivalent to the increase in clean-energy investments." [Center for American Progress, The Economic Benefits of Investing in Clean Energy, 6/17/09]
- Every Single State Will Gain Jobs From An Investment In Clean Energy Technologies. According to the Center for American Progress, investments in clean energy projects would create 1.7 million American jobs in every state in the country. [Center for American Progress, The Economic Benefits of Investing in Clean Energy, 6/17/09]
Investment in Clean Energy Technology Creates FOUR TIMES As Many Jobs As An Investment In Oil & Gas. According to the Center for American Progress, "spending $1 million on energy efficiency and renewable energy produces a much larger expansion of employment than spending the same amount on fossil fuels or nuclear energy. Among fossil fuels, job creation in coal is about 32 percent greater than that for oil and natural gas. The employment creation for energy efficiency-retrofitting and mass transit-is 2.5 times to four times larger than that for oil and natural gas. With renewable energy, the job creation ranges between 2.5 times to three times more than that for oil and gas." [Center for American Progress, The Economic Benefits of Investing in Clean Energy, 6/17/09]
Investment In Renewable Energy Has Already Salvaged Many Manufacturing Facilities Closed During Economic Downturn. Across America, factories and plants abandoned by the old economy have been re-tooled and re-opened to satisfy the growing demand for new energy technologies. For instance, once hopeless manufacturing plants in Pennsylvania, Iowa, and Michigan have re-energized their communities by creating jobs and leading the charge toward a new energy future. [Bloomberg, 4/2/09; Star Tribune, 4/22/09; Grand Rapids Press, 3/6/08]
