Sen. Cruz Statement on President’s New Energy Agenda

WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) today released the following statement on the President’s environmental speech:

Across the nation Republicans, Independents, and Democrats are united on one thing: that increasing jobs and improving the economy should be government’s top priority. Climate change barely registers as an issue.

So what does the President focus on? Climate change. Give him credit for courage.

But killing jobs and hurting the economy are exactly the opposite of what Americans want.

His proposed policies amount to a national energy tax – they would impede the XL Pipeline, make electricity more expensive, drive away jobs, and contribute to keeping the U.S. dependent on foreign energy.

Such stridency is especially odd now, when climate-change alarmists are baffled by the 15-year plateau in temperatures – no recorded warming since 1998 – despite greater greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Texas energy companies employ more than 200,000 people and produce about 27% of our nation's refining capacity, 28% of our nation's natural gas, and 60% of our nation's chemicals – Texas essentially fuels the nation.

At the same time, the air Texans breathe today is substantially cleaner than just a decade ago.

Our State has proven that we can protect the environment while creating strong American jobs, and Washington needs to follow that example.

I will continue to fight to ensure the President does not end-run Congress with policies that would kill jobs and further damage the economy.

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