Letters

November 25, 2003

Taxpayer Groups Call on Congress to Stop Energy Bill

Taxpayers for Common Sense Action
Council For Citizens Against Government Waste
National Taxpayers Union
Americans for Tax Reform

POP THE BALLOONING ENERGY BILL

ATTN: Energy LA

Dear Senator:

On behalf of our members, the undersigned groups urge you to oppose H.R. 6, the so-called "Energy Policy Act of 2003." We are concerned that at every opportunity the energy bill has been larded up with more and more waste and inappropriate taxpayer-funded subsidies. Between initial passage on the floor of the House of Representatives and the bill's emergence from the sequestered conference committee, the bill's price tag ballooned from $46 billion to over $72 billion in authorized spending. That is a 50% increase in authorized spending in just a few months. Our organizations will strongly consider including votes on this bill in our end-of-the-year scorecards.

H.R. 6 is chock full of subsidies, pork barrel projects, and unnecessary spending that have little, if anything, to do with our nation's energy needs. Even supporters of the legislation have admitted that it is not real comprehensive energy policy, but merely a goodie bag of various projects and policies. The Wall Street Journal called this bill "one of the great logrolling exercises in recent Congressional history" and that to get the bill through, leadership has "greased more wheels than a Nascar pit crew." The Washington Post also editorialized against the bill, calling on lawmakers to "make sure the bill doesn't become law." We echo that sentiment.

There is too much waste to describe in one letter. Suffice it to say, the energy bill touches everyone and everything, from giving billions to ethanol producers to "green" bonds for shopping malls, from billions to the nuclear and coal industries to billions in loan guarantees for an Alaska natural gas pipeline. There are also millions for various pet projects at colleges across the country. The oil and gas industry alone reaps more than a quarter of the bill's funding.

Again, we urge you to oppose H.R. 6 and we will strongly consider including votes on this wasteful legislation in our organizations' end-of-year scorecards. We would be happy to discuss these issues with you further. Please contact Aileen Roder at Taxpayers for Common Sense Action at (202) 546-8500 x130 or aileen@taxpayer.net with questions or comments.

Sincerely,

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