Washington, DC – Today, every Republican Member of the Ways and Means Committee signed a petition and letter led by Ranking Member Dave Camp (R-MI).  They request that Ways and Means Committee Democrats join Republicans to assert the Committee’s jurisdiction on H.R. 2454, which imposes a national energy tax paid by every American under a “cap and trade” scheme. The petition, if signed by six of the 26 Democrats on the Committee, would result in the Committee holding a mark-up, meaning Members would have a chance to offer amendments to address concerns they have heard from families and businesses about the legislation.

“With all due respect to my friends on the Energy and Commerce committee, it is the Ways and Means members who have the expertise on tax and trade issues,” said Camp.  “As Chairman-Emeritus Dingell noted, ‘this is a great big tax‘ .” 

According to numerous press reports, the Ways and Means Committee is not scheduled to hold a mark-up on this complex, far-reaching, and economy-changing tax legislation.

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