Sen. Inhofe Confident Cap-and-Trade National Energy Tax Won't Pass

Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), top Republican on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee is confident that the new effort to pass a national cap-and-trade energy tax will not pass the Senate this year.

"I know we can beat it," Inhofe told Fox News' Stuart Varney. "This is another cap-and-trade. We went through the McCain-Lieberman bill of '03, the McCain-Lieberman of '05, the Warner-Lieberman of '08, the Waxman bill... I can assure you, I don't think they have more than 25 votes on the Democrats' side, and if you throw Lindsey Graham in there that would be 26 votes."

As reported on HUMAN EVENTS Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.) Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) have been working in secret for months to construct another run at the national energy tax.

Lieberman sparked uproar when he said recently that Reid would manage bill without a formal introduction to sidestep the committee process.

"That doesn't sound like the regular order to me," Agriculture Committee Chair Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) quipped. "We'll certainly weigh in. And I think where there's an opportunity, whether it's to have hearings or to have a say, we'll do it."

"I'd be surprised if it bypassed Finance," Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee chaired by Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.).

Democrats who've been basing their careers on the "green" anthropogenic global warming scam are not going to let this major piece of legislation move quietly -- without grabbing some of the glory in their own committees of jurisdiction.

The date for the unveiling of the new cap and trade national energy tax is April 26. Congressional Quarterly reports "Aides said the date for the bill's release should be solid, because celebrities are expected to attend the event." Ahem.

Inhofe also remarked on plans for Obamacare in a Senate run by Republicans.

"I know the Tea Party people because I've talked to several of their large groups," Inhofe said. "They don't want to pass the largest tax increase in the history of America, they've already had to swallow this government run health care which we'll become a majority and we'll reverse that and turn that thing around. ###

U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works :: Minority Page By Connie Hair Posted: 04/19/2010 ET Posted by Matt Dempsey Matt_Dempsey@epw.senate.gov