Olathe, Kan. – State Rep. Patricia Lightner, Republican candidate for Congress in the 3rd District of Kansas, issued the following statement Wednesday blasting the new Kerry-Lieberman proposal for a national energy tax, and urged the Senate to reject the idea.

“President Obama and Senators Kerry and Lieberman talk way too gleefully about imposing yet another tax on the backs of Americans. A $1-per-day tax may not sound like much to a Washington-based liberal, but to cash-strapped American families and small businesses, it is more politicians reaching into their pockets to take more of their hard earned money.

“Furthermore, to use the crisis and failure of leadership in the gulf oil spill disaster to score political points for a left-wing agenda is exactly the kind of politics Americans are rejecting in election after election.

“From day one, I have opposed cap-and-trade and signed the No Climate Tax Pledge by Americans for Prosperity. We cannot tax our way to energy independence nor a clean environment. These proposals will kill jobs and accomplish nothing except to further plunge our nation into a liberal tax-and-spend abyss.

“America needs new leaders dedicated to common sense environmental policies, true energy independence, and sound economic principles.”