U.S. Chamber Caves to Special Interests on Energy-Rationing Legislation

Washington, DC, November 4, 2009—The Competitive Enterprise Institute responded today to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s announcement that it will now support energy-rationing legislation by calling on small businesses to drop their Chamber membership and join CEI in fighting this catastrophic legislation. 

In a November 3 letter to Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and James Inhofe (R-OK), the Chairman and Ranking Member, respectively, of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, the U. S. Chamber announced that it would now support legislation based on a recent New York Times op-ed by Senators John Kerry (D-MA) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC). 

“It appears that the Chamber has caved under enormous pressure from some of its biggest member companies. They have reluctantly enlisted in the effort to reward these big special interests with gigantic windfall profits at the expense of consumers and small businesses,” said Myron Ebell, CEI Director of Energy and Global Warming Policy.

“We invite small businesses whose interests are no longer being well-represented by the Chamber on this critical issue to drop their membership in the U. S. Chamber and join us at CEI in fighting against all energy-rationing legislation, even so-called compromises that only partly wreck the economy. We welcome their support. We will not capitulate,” said Ebell.

“In its letter, the Chamber repeatedly sites the Oct. 14 Kerry-Graham op-ed in the New York Times as the reason for cuddling up to cap-and-trade,” noted CEI senior fellow Marlo Lewis. Lewis explains why it is a hopeless muddle here.

> To support CEI’s efforts to defend consumers from needless energy taxes, visit CEI.org/support, or contact Al Canata