FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, May 19, 2009
Contact: Carl Bearden (314) 560-4597 or Phil Kerpen (202) 349-5880

COLUMBIA-The Missouri chapter of the free-market grassroots group Americans for Prosperity (AFP-MO) today applauded U.S. Representative Roy Blunt (7th District) for signing the group’s “No Climate Tax Pledge.” By doing so, Blunt joins over 180 lawmakers on the federal, state and local levels pledging to “oppose legislation relating to climate change that includes a net increase in government revenue.” The pledge has already attracted the support of 37 state representatives and 3 state senators in Missouri. Rep. Blunt is a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and his vote is seen as critical to stopping the legislation in committee

“The one thing elected officials should be able to agree on is that global warming shouldn’t be used as an excuse to hike taxes on citizens and businesses,” said AFP-MO State Director Carl Bearden. “We encourage all of Missouri’s elected officials and candidates for elected office to sign the pledge.”

President Obama has made no secret of his intent to advance the cap-and-trade legislation, which would amount to the largest tax increase in American history. One version of the scheme, introduced last year by Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and John Warner (R-VA), is scored by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office as a net revenue increase of $1.2 trillion within just the first 7 years the bill is in effect.

“Using the guise of climate change to transfer dollars from hard-working citizens to bureaucratic big government is unacceptable,” said Bearden. “Regardless of their stance on global warming, this should be common ground for all of our elected officials at all levels of government.”

The pledge is available online at www.NoClimateTax.com. AFP does not endorse candidates. All elected officials and candidates are encouraged to sign the pledge and go on the record in opposition to using the climate change issue to increase taxes and grow the size of government.