Oklahoman: Oklahoma Lawmakers Oppose Global Warming Bill

All four Oklahoma members of the U.S. House present Friday voted against the global warming bill. Rep. John Sullivan, R-Tulsa, is on a leave of absence. Here’s what Oklahoma House members had to say:

Rep. Dan Boren, D-Muskogee: "This legislation will saddle all Oklahoma families, seniors living on fixed incomes and small businesses struggling to survive the current downturn with what is essentially a tax on energy usage in all forms.”

Rep. Mary Fallin, R-Oklahoma City: "Our state is a large producer of both oil and natural gas, and the restrictions this legislation places on the production and exploration of these resources will devastate our energy producers. That will not only destroy oil and gas related jobs, it will also lead to a reduction in tax revenue, which in turn will affect our ability to maintain and repair roads, bridges, schools and other public works and services.”

Rep. Tom Cole, R-Moore: "It is sadly ironic that in their effort to turn down the thermostat of the earth, Congress has actually set in motion a policy that will cause skyrocketing utility prices, lost American jobs and more CO2 produced by companies operating in countries with little or no environmental regulations. It is a high-cost, no-benefit approach that should have been rejected.”

Rep. Frank Lucas, R-Cheyenne: "The bill promises to destroy our standard of living and quality of life with higher energy costs, higher food prices, and lost jobs. This bill is the single, largest economic threat to our farmers and ranchers in decades … I can’t vote for this and go home to Oklahoma.”

# # #