As the the Vice Chairman of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, I am a leader in the fight against the national energy tax proposal some Congressional leaders are advocating. I call this bad idea “cap-and-tax” because of the damage it will do to jobs, manufacturing and our economy.  A National Association of Manufacturers study of this policy shows it would cost Wisconsin nearly 75,000 jobs by 2030 and could raise gasoline prices by 141 percent and electricity rates by 171 percent. Cap-and-tax could result in disposable household income losses in Wisconsin of up to $6,900. Instead of higher taxes and energy prices, we need energy and environmental policies that will: protect jobs and the economy, produce tangible improvements to the environment, advance and improve energy technologies, and require full participation by all developing nations, including China and India.  In May of 2009, I was the only Republican to travel on a CODEL trip with Speaker Pelosi to discuss climate change with the Chinese government.