October 8, 2019

The Honorable Mitch McConnell
United States Senate
317 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510

Senator McConnell:

On behalf of millions of taxpayers and consumers across the country, the undersigned groups urge you to oppose any “Green New Deal” legislative language buried inside unrelated legislation. Virtually every provision of the Green New Deal, ranging from trillions of dollars in new spending to onerous rules on automobiles and airplanes, would be disastrous to households and businesses across America. The U.S. economy needs abundant, low-cost sources of energy, not bank-breaking regulations that make it more difficult for Americans to live their lives.

Earlier this year, members of the U.S. Senate introduced a resolution, S.J. Res. 8, calling for the creation of a radical, ill-thought-out “Green New Deal.” This complete and unrealistic overhaul of the U.S. economy would have devastated hardworking American families. According to the American Action Forum, the plan would cost Americans anywhere from 10 to $419,010 per household, over ten years.

Not surprisingly, the Senators who proposed this preposterous resolution refused to support the measure when it was brought to the floor. A motion to invoke cloture and proceed to consideration of the Green New Deal failed by a vote of 0-57. None of the resolution’s sponsors supported it.

Normally when such imprudent policy ideas meet such a resounding defeat in the U.S. Senate, it means that these ideas will be relegated to the dustbin of political debate. Unfortunately, many members of Congress who refused to support this plan on the Senate floor are currently devising strategies to implement provisions of the Green New Deal by attaching them to important pending legislation.

We write to express our strongest opposition to the inclusion of any provision of the Green New Deal in related or unrelated legislation. Important measures to support American troops, fund the government or maintain economic growth must not be imperiled by ill-considered policies from a fringe resolution. Energy policy deserves dedicated legislation that offers policies that would lower costs for Americans. Removing senseless restrictions on drilling and fracking and repealing existing “renewable” mandates are just two possible paths toward greater energy affordability and increased choices for consumers. Congress should also pursue dedicated legislation that repeals wasteful government “clean energy” programs that subsidize boondoggles at significant expense to taxpayers.

American consumers deserve an abundance of options to heat their homes and fuel their vehicles. Sneaking Green New Deal provisions into unrelated legislation would only lead to higher costs and undermine transparency in government. We urge the Senate to oppose any attempt to hold meaningful bills hostage in order to enact the misguided Green New Deal.

Sincerely,

David Williams
President
Taxpayers Protection Alliance

Jason Pye
Vice President of Legislative Affairs
FreedomWorks

Steve Pociask President
American Consumer Institute

Tim Chapman Executive Director
Heritage Action for America

Daniel Schneider Executive Director
American Conservative Union

Mario Lopez President
Hispanic Leadership Fund

Thomas Pyle President
American Energy Alliance

Heather R. Higgins CEO
Independent Women’s Voice

Brent Wm. Gardner
Chief Government Affairs Officer Americans for Prosperity

Carrie L. Lukas President
Independent Women’s Forum

Bethany Marcum

Executive Director Alaska Policy Forum

Andrew Langer President
Institute for Liberty

Grover Norquist President
Americans for Tax Reform

Dr. Bob McClure President and CEO
The James Madison Institute

Robert Alt President and CEO
The Buckeye Institute

Brett Healy President
The John K. MacIver Institute for Public Policy

Garrett Ballengee Executive Director
Cardinal Institute of WV Policy

Jason Hayes
Director of Environmental Policy Mackinac Center for Public Policy

Norm Singleton President
Campaign for Liberty

Matthew Gagnon CEO
Maine Heritage Policy Center

John Hinderaker President
Center of the American Experiment

Jon L. Pritchett President and CEO
Mississippi Center for Public Policy

Jeffrey Mazzella President
Center for Individual Freedom

Harry C. Alford President and CEO
National Black Chamber of Commerce

Andrew F. Quinlan President
Center for Freedom and Prosperity

Tom Schatz President
Council for Citizens Against Government Waste

Myron Ebell
Director of the Center for Energy and Environment
Competitive Enterprise Institute

Mike Stenhouse CEO
Rhode Island Center for Freedom and Prosperity

Paul Gessing President
Rio Grande Foundation

James L. Martin
Founder/ Chairman 60 Plus Association

Brian Minnich
Executive Vice President
Freedom Foundation