Stop the Overreach

Last week, Americans waited to hear that Congress narrowly avoided a shutdown of the entire government over what was feared to be a failure to agree on ways to rein in out-of-control federal spending. Additionally, the U.S. House of Representatives thankfully moved to shutdown one specific component of our out-of-control federal regulatory stranglehold.

The Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011 passed the U.S. House last week with a bipartisan vote of 255-172. The bill removes EPA of authority to implement its overreaching attempt to regulate greenhouse gases and raise energy costs for American families and businesses.

EPA’s proposed regulatory scheme will have profound negative impacts for refiners and energy producers while gas prices are currently hovering around $4 a gallon. Additional increases in electricity and fuel costs will hit farmers, ranchers and American families especially hard at a time when many are struggling to make ends meet.

Americans should not have to endure regulatory policies with CERTAIN costs and OBSCURE benefits. EPA administrator Lisa Jackson has said repeatedly that unilateral regulation by the United States will not improve our environment, and that greenhouse gas regulation’s benefit to the environment is negligible.

Unelected bureaucrats at the EPA have increasingly exceeded their authority at the expense of the American taxpayer. While there seems to be hope for American families through the Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011, sadly, the president has indicated he would veto the Act should it reach his desk.

TDA Continues to Monitor Gas Pumps to Protect Consumers

The Texas Department of Agriculture is committed to protecting Texas drivers from fraudulent business practices. Every summer it seems fuel prices increase, and consumers can be certain our TDA inspectors are looking for any station that may be shortchanging motorists at the pump. Gas prices are high enough, you should always get exactly what you pay for. The Austin American-Statesman has a story about our efforts on its Web site. You can read it HERE.