House Passes Capito Motion Improving Small Business Bill

Press Release

During this evening's consideration of the Job Creation Through Entrepreneurship Act of 2009, the House of Representatives approved an amendment by Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., to provide protections for small businesses facing future costs associated with a national energy tax, or cap-and-trade legislation.

The amendment, a motion to recommit, ensures that the Small Business Administration must provide America's small business owners with information and technical assistance regarding future increases in costs associated with energy legislation or carbon caps passed through Congress.

"As the House and Senate continue to debate a cap-and-trade plan that stands to raise energy costs and hurt small business, it's only appropriate that they have full information and assistance from the SBA," said Capito.

"Small business owners understand that cap-and-trade is essentially a national energy tax that will hit consumers and business owners alike," she added while speaking on the House floor.

"Manufacturers in states like mine depend on the low cost of energy. They compete in a global marketplace where energy costs are critical to economic success. Cost increases from a national energy tax will prove to be severely damaging to the bottom lines of businesses in my state and in others."

Capito's amendment was adopted by a large bipartisan margin of 385-41, demonstrating broad-based recognition of the inevitable economic costs associated with legislation like the cap-and-trade plan currently under consideration.

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