US Representatives Peter Roskam and Judy Biggert are hosting a panel on the Waxman-Markey ACES Bill Monday in Downers Grove. The fact that their press release refers to it merely as "cap-and-trade legislation" instead of recognizing that the bill is far more comprehensive in its approach to reduce global warming emissions, is the first hint of their slant.
A less subtle hint is their initial panel list:
Ralph Loomis is an executive for Exelon Corporation, which owns numerous nuclear power plants in Illinois and elsewhere. The nuclear industry is trying desperately to get lumped in with renewable energy in climate change legislation. They're like a really annoying, uptight guy who tries tagging along with the cute girls you invited to your party. There's always one.
OpenSecrets shows that Exelon has given career totals of $39,700 to Roskam's campaign fund and $43,800 to Biggert. I guess setting up this forum is their way of saying thanks.
Pat Callan of the Illinois Realtors Association will speak. The National Association of Realtors is Biggert's 3rd top career donors with $46,000. Surprise! They only chipped in $22,000 for Roskam. The NAR is lobbying to weaken provisions of the ACES bill so that their industry is asked very nicely with incentives to improve energy efficiency instead of being mandated to do anything.
A lobbyist for the US Chamber of Commerce will speak. That isn't surprising since the Chamber has long opposed any legislation that could conceivably benefit the cause of humanity, including efforts to curb global warming.
Finally, there's a representative of Navistar, a company that builds large engines for trucks, semis, the military, SUV's and other gas guzzlers. On the plus side, they're developing hybrid and plug-in hybrid engines for large trucks and buses. They appear to oppose government intervention but not when they're taking a $10 million federal subsidy. They donate regularly to Roskam and sometimes Biggert.
Since I started this post, Biggert issued a new press release that adds representatives of several environmental groups who asked to be included after learning of the event. I'm not sure what they can expect since the panel was obviously set up to express opposition. She also added someone from the uber-conservative Heritage Foundation.
Biggert's press release says the Representatives want to hear the views of their constituents about the ACES Bill, but apparently only after a dose of propaganda from the corporate self-interest groups opposing it.
If I were one of their constituents I'd probably go to the forum and tell my Representative to support stronger provisions in the bill for energy efficiency and renewable energy sources that will create new jobs. I'd also ask them to spend more time listening to the voters in their district instead of setting up a special platform for their major corporate donors.
It happens at 10:00 – 11:30 am, Monday, June 1, 2009, Downers Grove Marriott, 1500 Opus Place, Downers Grove, IL 60515.