Johnny Isakson United States Senator

Isakson Disappointed with House-Passed Cap-and-Trade Energy Bill That Would Result in Higher Bills for Georgians

Jun 26, 2009

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator and Senate candidate Johnny Isakson today expressed his disappointment with the Waxman-Markey ‘cap-and-trade’ legislation passed today by a narrow 219-212 vote in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The legislation mandates a 17-percent cut in greenhouse emissions by 2020 and an 83-percent cut by 2050. It also requires that 20 percent of electricity comes from renewable sources and increased energy efficiency by 2020.

Isakson said the bill would result in higher utility bills for all Georgians.

“This so-called cap-and-trade system will put yet another tax on every Georgian and every American through higher utility bills and higher prices on goods and services,” said Isakson.

The bill now goes to the Senate where Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has yet to schedule a vote.

“I am working with my colleagues in the Senate to stop this bill from going any further,” said Isakson.

“I believe it is in the geopolitical and environmental interest of the United States to reduce our dependence on imported oil. Such a reduction is possible through the development of all our domestic sources of energy including nuclear, biomass, solar, hydro, geothermal, and exploration of oil off shore in the United States.”