Chet Edwards For Congress

BCS Eagle: Edwards opposed cap-and-trade bill

Bryan-College Station Eagle
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
By CHET EDWARDS

Many constituents have written and called my office to express their opinion on the cap-and-trade energy legislation, H.R. 2454, which passed the House 219-212 on June 26. I opposed the bill. These are the reasons why:

March 26, 2008
Navasota Examiner: Congressman Edwards unhappy with bill

July 8, 2009 | Navasota Examiner

17th District Congressman Chet Edwards met with local city and county elected officials and community leaders in Navasota June 30, as he spoke against the proposed Cap & Trade Energy Legislation. Edwards said he voted against the bill because he was concerned that it would increase gasoline and utility costs for families, farmers and businesses during tough economic times.

Waco Tribune Herald: Climate bill passes House; Waco’s Edwards votes no

Waco Tribune-Herald |
By Regina Dennis and Associated Press
Friday, June 26, 2009

In a triumph for President Barack Obama, the Democratic-controlled House narrowly passed sweeping legislation today that calls for the nation’s first limits on pollution linked to global warming and aims to usher in a new era of cleaner, yet more costly energy.

The vote was 219-212, capping months of negotiations and days of intense bargaining among Democrats. Republicans were overwhelmingly against the measure, arguing it would destroy jobs in the midst of a recession while burdening consumers with a new tax in the form of higher energy costs.

The legislation centers on a “cap and trade program” that has emission reduction targets of 17 percent by 2020 and 84 percent by 2050, below 2005 levels. It would require factories, refineries and power plants to cut emissions of carbon dioxide and six other greenhouse gases, blamed for global warming.

U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Waco, voted against the bill, saying he was concerned about the potential costs the bill would impose on citizens and business owners.

Edwards praises stimulus bill

Cleburne Times-Review |
January 30, 2009 | By Matt Smith

U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Waco, characterized the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan also known as the stimulus bill as the type of bold economic recovery plan needed to create jobs and stabilize the economy.

The bill passed the U.S. House on Wednesday by a 244-188 vote.

Energy & Gas Prices

• Chet has voted to strip big oil companies of certain tax breaks and subsidies, because he believes that it is wrong, during a time of war, for big oil companies to post record profits while charging consumers over $3.70 a gallon for gas.




• Chet voted to halt deposits of oil into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) for the remainder of the year and supports the releasing of oil from the SPR to increase supply on the open market and further help reduce rising gas prices. Chet believes doing so would demonstrate a U.S. commitment to reduce speculation in the oil market which, some energy experts have said accounts for as much as 20-30% of rising gasoline costs.




• Chet supported the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which increased fuel mileage to 35 miles per gallon by 2020, the first increase in mileage standards since 1975, and provided $21 billion in tax incentives to increase production of domestic renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar energy.




• Chet is leading the fight in Congress to open up the outer continental shelf to natural gas drilling, which would increase natural gas supply, lowering costs for home heating and electricity.