MEDIA ADVISORY                                                                        CONTACT: John Donnelly
June 15, 2010                                                                                         (317) 848-0201

Burton Statement On President Obama's Oval Office Address

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN-05) issued the following statement in response to President Obama's Oval Office address on the Gulf oil spill and energy in America:

"The Gulf oil spill is a tragedy for our ecosystem and our economy, and I believe a disaster of this magnitude required President Obama's leadership and bold countermeasures from day one.  Nevertheless, it was important to see the President address the nation tonight and outline his strategy for cleaning the spill.

"President Obama also used this address to recommit his Administration to imposing a devastating national energy tax called 'cap-and-trade.'  At a time when our economy is struggling to recover, a national tax on energy would cost America millions of jobs, and force American families to pay over $3,000 more per year in higher energy bills. 

"Americans must know that a national energy tax will not clean up the Gulf oil spill, or prevent another disaster in the future.  I believe President Obama should focus on controlling and cleaning this oil spill, and then advance forward with a bipartisan energy reform effort in Congress that improves our energy infrastructure without raising taxes or sacrificing a single American job."

Background:

Visit http://burton.house.gov/pages/cap-and-trade to learn more about the national energy tax called "cap-and-trade" and for information about Rep. Burton's alternative approach, the American Energy Act.

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