Fred Upton, a moderate Republican from Michigan, is being seriously considered to become the next Chairman of the House Energy & Commerce Committee. Upton has a record of being pro-Big Government when it comes to Energy policy. Even though there are some that are running around claiming otherwise (Fred Barnes), it is important to examine his voting record first.
Thanks to Mark Tapscott at the Washington Examiner, we can take a good look at who Upton really is:
* Upton was one of only 16 GOPers who supported in 2009 House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s omnibus spending bill that increased spending 8.4 percent on top of the $787 billion stimulus program.
* Upton was one of nine GOPers who opposed in 2009 an amendment by Rep. Dave Camp, R-Mich., that would have substituted an array of tax cuts and credits for the Obama-Pelosi-Reid stimulus program.
* Upton was one of 43 GOPers who opposed in 2009 a Republican amendment to cut the Democrats’ stimulus bill by $355 billion.
* Upton was one of 20 GOPers who opposed in 2009 a Republican amendment to cut Environmental Protection Agency funding to its 2008 level.
* Upton was one of 34 GOPers who voted in 2009 for the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act that removed millions of acres of federal lands from energy exploration and production.
* Upton was one of 19 GOPers who voted in 2009 for a Democratic amendment directing the secretary of education to establish an advisory council for “high-performing” green public schools, thus further entrenching environmental radicals in the public education system.
* Upton was one of 29 GOPers who voted for the Democrats’ bill establishing the Santa Cruz National Heritage area along the U.S./Mexican border, which effectively prevents the U.S. Border Patrol from doing its work along the border.
* Upton was one of 26 GOPers who voted in 2009 for significantly increased funding for AmeriCorps.
* Upton voted for the Bush $700 billion Wall Street bailout twice in 2008.
* Upton voted for the Obama revision of the Bush bailout in 2009.
* Upton was one of 40 GOPers who voted in 2009 for the Democrats; doubling of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program’s budget.
* Upton was one of more than 40 GOPers who voted in 2007 and 2008 to override President Bush’s veto of spending increases for SCHIP.
* Upton was one of 35 GOPers who voted in 2008 for Rep. Charlie Rangel’s bill raising taxes on energy companies to provide tax subsidies for renewable energy special interests.
* Upton was one of 26 GOPers who voted in 2007 for federally mandated incandescent light bulbs.
* Upton was one of three GOPers who voted in 2005 against extending the Bush capital gains tax cut.
If you are comfortable with a EPA-loving, Bailout-supporting, light bulb-banning, tax-hiking, Big Government Republican, then Fred Upton is your guy. If you want to see real change in Congress next year, then Fred Upton is the exact wrong choice to head this important committee.
On the week of November 29th, the Steering Committee will meet to discuss who will be assigned to committees/subcommittees. Please contact the committee members to tell them that you oppose Fred Upton for Chairman of the House Energy & Commerce Committee:
John Boehner (OH-08) (Chairman of Steering Committee)
Eric Cantor (VA-07)
Greg Walden (OR-02)
Kevin McCarthy (CA-22)
Lynn Westmoreland (GA-03)
Tom Price (GA-06)
Gregg Harper (MS-03)
Jeb Hensarling (TX-05)
John Carter (TX-31)
Pete Sessions (TX-32)
Cathy Rodgers (WA-05)
Hal Rogers (KY-05)
Pat Meehan (PA-07) (incoming freshman)
Joe Heck (NV-03) (incoming freshman)
Todd Rokita (IN-04) (incoming freshman)
Austin Scott (GA-08) (incoming freshman)
