On the recordMarch 29, 2011
first of all, let me say to my good friend from Virginia, I agree with everything he said up to the last 3 minutes, because we have something that needs to be talked about. I would only make reference to the letter that has been entered into the Record that, yes, did make that statement, that if the choice is to do nothing at all or to have the Rockefeller amendment, it is better to delay something bad for 2 years. But that is not the choice. The choice is--and he has referred to it as the McConnell amendment; that happens to be the bill I introduced and is now offered as an amendment to the Small Business Act--and it is one that will actually resolve the problem. I think it is necessary to set the record straight as to what the two alternatives are. I call them covers. This is kind of a term that is used inside these Halls when someone is wanting to vote against something that people at home want and they give them something else to vote for so we can offer cover--something that normally is meaningless--such as these two cover votes. The cap-and-trade agenda--I think we all understand--is destroying jobs in America and certainly decreasing our domestic energy supply. As a consequence, the consumers are going to pay more for their gas, for their electric bills, in a tax on affordable energy. But it can be stopped.…
