Bill Text: MO HCR32 | 2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

Missouri House Concurrent Resolution 32 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Urges the United States Congress to refuse to enact cap and trade legislation establishing a cap on greenhouse gas emissions which will result in increased costs of goods and services

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-05-14 - Referred: Utilities (H) [HCR32 Detail]

Download: Missouri-2010-HCR32-Introduced.html

SECOND REGULAR SESSION

House Concurrent Resolution No. 32

95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES NOLTE (Sponsor), NANCE, GATSCHENBERGER, COX, ALLEN, GUERNSEY, SATER, KEENEY, JONES (89), LAIR, FISHER (125), KOENIG, ERVIN, DAY, RUZICKA, THOMSON, WILSON (119), MOLENDORP, SMITH (150), DENISON, BIVINS, DAVIS, MUNZLINGER, DIEHL, FAITH, FLOOK, PRATT, ICET, KRAUS, DUSENBERG, SCHAD, SANDER, BURLISON, RUESTMAN, FUNDERBURK, SCHAAF, NIEVES, BROWN (149), LEARA, WETER, FLANIGAN, STEVENSON, WELLS, DETHROW, McGHEE, ZERR, TRACY, BRANDOM, COOPER, WASSON, DUGGER, DEEKEN, FRANZ, PARKINSON, EMERY, RIDDLE, SILVEY, BRUNS, WRIGHT AND LOEHNER (Co-sponsors).

4341L.02I

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:

Whereas, proposed legislation in the United States Congress to implement a mandatory cap and trade emissions trading system would establish a cap on greenhouse gas emissions, requiring those who emit greenhouse gases to purchase government credits to offset emissions, and allow those emitters to trade or sell those credits; and

Whereas, the State of Missouri produces more than 80% of its electricity from the combustion of coal. Thus, the cap and trade program will result in massive increases in energy costs for business, farms, and residential consumers because the increased cost to produce electricity from coal will be markedly higher; and

Whereas, as a result of the cap and trade program, there will also be a dramatic increase in the price of gasoline and heating oil, which will have a disproportionate impact on seniors and working families, family farms, and small business; and

Whereas, President Barack Obama has said, "Under my plan of cap and trade system, electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket.". Businesses required to participate in the cap and trade program will ultimately pass the cost of participation in the program on to Missouri working families, family farms, and businesses; and

Whereas, these increases in energy costs will effectively act as a regressive energy tax affecting seniors, working families, family farms, and small business; and

Whereas, Missouri enjoys a relatively low cost of energy. The proposed plan will make Missouri less attractive to businesses and damage Missouri's ability to attract and retain jobs in manufacturing and other important sectors of the economy, especially agriculture. Missouri needs to position itself as a state that is welcoming to economic development and does not act in a way that is detrimental to job creation and retention; and

Whereas, the cap and trade program as proposed will result not only in a massive transfer of wealth to the federal government through the sale of emissions credits, but also in the loss of a substantial number of jobs. Missouri will experience job loss and the flight of businesses out of the state, resulting in a decrease in state revenue which will exacerbate an already serious budget situation; and

Whereas, the cap and trade program will not result in the overall global decrease of greenhouse gas emissions because those industries that emit greenhouse gases, if they are able to do so, will relocate to countries with less stringent standards and continue to operate, taking those jobs with them; and

Whereas, a cap and trade program has been in place since 2005 in the European Union resulting in carbon emission levels rising more quickly than the United States, calling into question the efficacy of such a program; and

Whereas, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report has recently been fundamentally and profoundly called into question by the exposure of fraudulent analysis and conclusions. The fraud is in large part the basis of "climate change" concerns, declarations, and proposals, including cap and trade. The nature of the fraud is the deliberate concealment and manipulation of scientific data that did not support IPCC conclusions or recommendations:

Now, therefore, be it resolved that the members of the House of Representatives of the Ninety-fifth General Assembly, Second Regular Session, the Senate concurring therein, hereby urge the United States Congress and the Missouri Congressional delegation to refuse to enact cap and trade legislation that would negatively impact Missourians by increasing the costs of goods and services; and

Be it further resolved that the Chief Clerk of the Missouri House of Representatives be instructed to prepare properly inscribed copies of this resolution for the Speaker and Clerk of the United States House of Representatives, the President Pro Tempore and Secretary of the United States Senate, and the members of the Missouri Congressional delegation.