10/08/2009
Statement of Senator John Kerry
“Even as we sit down each day and meet with Republicans and Democrats committed to finding common ground and consensus, the RPC has continues to get its facts upside-down and backwards. The Kerry-Boxer bill will put millions of Americans back to work by investing in energy solutions made in America, that work for America. It actually boosts our manufacturing sector by making sure American companies are more competitive globally and protects us from foreign companies that try to pollute their way to lower prices. We are open to every constructive idea that helps solve our energy and climate challenges, but distortions don’t do a thing to fix the problems Americans sent us to Washington to fix.“
The RPC uses bad studies, badly:- They cite studies that don’t include the important mechanisms we include to limit increases in energy prices and ensure competitiveness for American industries. That’s like talking about the risk of driving and ignoring speed limits, seatbelts, and airbags!
- They don’t read the studies they do cite: the study commissioned by the National Association of Manufacturers states that, with our bill, we increase GDP by $9 trillion dollars by 2030.
- Their estimates of job creation don’t even include any of the substantial increases in new energy jobs—up to 2 million in some studies— from our investments in energy solutions made in America, that work for America.
The RPC doesn’t tell the truth about manufacturing:
The Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act actually boosts manufacturing and manufacturing jobs- It provides billions of dollars annually to help the industries that could be hurt take control of their energy future. The bill passed in the House ensures these industries have sufficient resources to reduce their carbon pollution.
- It enacts strong border protection to prevent foreign companies from polluting their way to lower prices. The bill is committed to keeping American companies competitive globally.
- It only covers 7,500 facilities, less than 2% of American businesses. And some of the biggest companies that are affected—GE, Dow Chemical, Dupont—are helping us make sure this plan keeps American manufacturing strong.
- It creates jobs—a net increase of almost 2 million by 2020 according to the latest studies. Every dollar spent on clean energy creates nearly four times as many jobs as a dollar invested in oil and gas. These are good-paying jobs for American workers all over the country and from all educational backgrounds—and best of all, they can’t be shipped overseas.
The RPC gets the story wrong on reducing carbon pollution:
Investing in clean energy to reduce our carbon pollution will actually increase our growth- The whole world has taken an economic hit, but the first ones to start growing—like China and Germany—have invested billions in clean energy industries that reduce their carbon pollution and create jobs. Reducing carbon pollution is a path to growth.
- This bill ensures flexibility so that companies pay less, or nothing at all in bad economic times.
- This bill puts America in charge to lead the world into a clean energy and energy independent future. Americans invented the technologies behind wind and solar energy, but countries like China and Germany have surged ahead of us. This bill will make us the world leaders once again.
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