WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today U.S. Representative Walter B. Jones (R-NC) voted against H.R. 2454, the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, a bill to implement a tax on carbon emissions and a new carbon dioxide cap-and-trade system – essentially a tax on greenhouse gas emissions. The bill passed the House by a vote of 219 to 212 and now moves to the Senate.

“I’ve heard from many Eastern North Carolina residents who are worried about the impact a carbon tax would have on already expensive electrical bills, and I share those concerns,” Congressman Jones said. “Economists at the Heritage Foundation have estimated that H.R. 2454 would cause North Carolina’s 3rd Congressional District to lose 3,456 jobs and $399.6 million in personal income in 2012 - the first year of the cap-and-trade regime.”

“It’s also been estimated that a cap-and-trade system would deal a significant blow to manufacturing – with some jobs being wiped out completely and others being shipped overseas to countries that don’t implement cap-and-trade,” Jones continued. “North Carolina was even ranked among the 20 states that would be hit hardest by cap-and-trade. Adding insult to injury, this bill irresponsibly sends billions of American taxpayer dollars overseas to fund environmental projects that foreign governments refuse to finance for themselves.”

“Without a doubt, cap-and-trade is a new national energy tax that will cost every American household. I voted against this ‘cap-and-tax’ bill because passing legislation that will cause electricity rates to spike, especially during these tough economic times, is just the wrong thing to do,” Jones concluded.

For additional information, or to schedule an interview with Congressman Jones, please contact Kathleen Joyce at 202-225-3415.