Coalition Letter Urges Bush to Drop Greenhouse Gas Emissions Plan
Washington, D.C., January 27, 2003—The Competitive Enterprise Institute and 13 other public policy groups are urging President Bush to drop a scheme to award credits for reductions in emissions of greenhouse gases in favor of supply-side tax reforms that will both stimulate economic growth and increase energy efficiency. It has been reported that the President may include the issue in tomorrow evening’s State of the Union Address. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” />
In a letter delivered today, representatives from over a dozen free market, consumer, and taxpayer organizations explain that “credit for early reductions” will create the institutional framework and political incentives for Kyoto-style energy rationing.
“Emissions credits attain full market value only under coercive, energy-rationing schemes, which is why President Bush cannot move ahead with this plan without also mobilizing support for anti-growth policies like the Kyoto Protocol, which he professes to oppose,” said CEI Senior Fellow Marlo Lewis, Jr. “If the President is determined to ‘do something’ to reduce U.S. carbon intensity, then he should expand the expensing provisions of his growth and jobs policy. Removing tax barriers to investment in new plant and equipment will reduce emissions and energy intensity while also boosting productivity,” Lewis explained.
The letter by the Competitive Enterprise Institute and co-signed by thirteen other public policy organizations is the second letter the groups have sent to the White House on this issue. Both letters are available online at www.cei.org. To arrange interviews with the policy experts of the Competitive Enterprise Institute regarding the President’s State of the Union address, please contact the communications department at 202-331-2252 or 703-899-4382.
CEI is a non-profit, non-partisan public policy group dedicated to the principles of free enterprise and limited government. For more information about CEI, please visit our website at www.cei.org.