Hartzler opposes oil, carbon taxes

(From Fourth District Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler)

Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.) released the following statement after the House passed H.Con.Res 112, a resolution opposing the President’s proposed $10 tax on every barrel of oil, and H.Con.Res 89, opposing the administration’s carbon tax. These taxes would increase costs of gasoline, electricity, natural gas, and home heating oil for Americans:

“These taxes are not about making life better for Americans. In fact, they would make life worse. Jobs will be lost, family income will decline, gas prices will increase, and home heating prices will surge – all to appease an extreme environmental agenda with miniscule results. This kind of overzealous taxation stifles our economic growth and adversely affects the most vulnerable Americans.”

The President’s proposed additional tax on oil would raise the price of gas by approximately 25 cents per gallon, effectively more than doubling the current federal tax on gas of 18.4 cents per gallon. The proposed tax on oil would also increase the prices of any consumer goods and services that use oil in their preparation, production, manufacture, transport, or distribution. These price increases would include everyday necessities, which would hit hardest lower-income Americans and those on fixed incomes. This tax would hit at a time when the oil industry is experiencing economic stagnation related to the falling market price of crude – over the course of this year, the oil and gas sector has lost thousands of jobs. Now is not the time to debate placing additional tax burdens on this industry.

Several groups have recently proposed taxes on carbon. These taxes are designed to drive up energy costs, meaning they will burden every family and business in America. These proposed taxes would also increase the prices of any consumer goods and services that use carbon energy in their preparation, production, manufacture, transport, or distribution. These price increases would include everyday necessities, which would hit hardest lower-income Americans and those on fixed incomes. This tax would hit at a time when the energy industry is experiencing economic stagnation – over the course of this year, the oil, gas and coal sectors have lost thousands of jobs. Now is not the time to debate placing additional tax burdens on these industries.