IV
103D CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. CON. RES. 74
Expressing the sense of Congress that the energy tax proposed by the
President will harm the economy and should not be approved.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 25, 1993
Mrs. JOHNSON of Connecticut (for herself, Ms. SNOWE, Mr. RAMSTAD, Mr.
KINGSTON, Mr. BLILEY, Mr. COBLE, Mr. LIGHTFOOT, Mr. CANADY, Mr.
ZIMMER, Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. COX, Mr. PAXON, Mr. SENSENBRENNER, Mr.
ARCHER, Mr. MCCRERY, Mr. BAKER of Louisiana, Mrs. BENTLEY, Mr.
SHAW, Mr. YOUNG of Alaska, Mr. HUTCHINSON, Mr. POMBO, Mr.
MANZULLO, Mr. GRANDY, Mr. HERGER, Mr. COLLINS of Georgia, Mr.
ROHRABACHER, Mr. GOODLATTE, Mr. GILMAN, Mrs. MEYERS of Kansas,
Mr. FAWELL, Mr. HOBSON, Mr. WALKER, Mr. EWING, Mr. HASTERT,
Mr. UPTON, Mr. BOEHLERT, Mr. BARTLETT, Mr. HOEKSTRA, Mr.
KNOLLENBERG, Mr. SANTORUM, Mr. KASICH, Mr. GINGRICH, Mr.
STUMP, Mrs. FOWLER, Mr. LEWIS of California, Mr. HEFLEY, Mr. AL-
LARD, Mr. SCHAEFER, and Mr. MOORHEAD) submitted the following con-
current resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and
Means
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of Congress that the energy tax pro-
posed by the President will harm the economy and should
not be approved.
Whereas the new excise tax on energy proposed by the Presi-
dent will drain at least $73,000,000,000 from the econ-
omy between 1994 and 1998;
•HCON 74 IH
Whereas the energy tax would raise 27 percent of the reve-
nues sought under the President’s plan but energy ac-
counts for only 8 percent of Gross Domestic Product;
Whereas imposition of such a tax could cost over 600,000
United States jobs;
Whereas the energy tax will reduce Gross Domestic Product
by at least $38,000,000,000;
Whereas the energy tax would cost the average American
family at least $322 per year, and much more in the fu-
ture as the tax is indexed to inflation;
Whereas many electric utilities estimate that residential elec-
tricity rates will rise 4 to 5 percent, and industrial rates
at least 5 or 6 percent;
Whereas attempts to ease the regressiveness of the tax will
cost at least $37,000,000,000, cannot possibly relieve all
low-income taxpayers of the additional burden;
Whereas the proposal to tax coal and natural gas at 25.7
cents per million British Thermal Units and petroleum at
59.9 cents per million British Thermal Units would bur-
den all energy users and discriminate against those who
rely on oil for home heating or industrial production;
Whereas the tax, when fully implemented, will add 7.5 cents
per gallon to the price of gasoline and 8.3 cents per gal-
lon to home heating oil and add greatly to the existing
tax burden on the middle class;
Whereas the energy tax would raise the cost of production for
manufacturers, processors, transporters, and all other
commercial users and thereby raise prices to consumers
at the wholesale and retail levels;
•HCON 74 IH
Whereas the energy tax would place United States exporters
at a competitive disadvantage in global markets by rais-
ing the cost of materials, production, and transportation;
Whereas attempts to address competitiveness issues by rebat-
ing the value of the energy tax on goods for export will
fail because they are illegal under the General Agreement
on Tariffs and Trade;
Whereas most rural regions and industries that rely on oil
have few, if any, options for heating, and many rural
areas do not have transportation options available for
their residents;
Whereas questions of passthrough mechanisms and collection
points almost certainly will lead to demands for exemp-
tions, exclusions, and clarifications;
Whereas there are a range of other, less burdensome policy
instruments to reduce reliance on imported oil, encourage
more efficient energy use, and reduce the environmental
impact of energy consumption;
Whereas the economic and social burden of a new energy ex-
cise tax will be enormous: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that the
energy excise tax proposed by the President will seriously
harm middle income citizens, rural residents, and the
economy and should not be approved.
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