TOPEKA — The Kansas chapter of the free-market grassroots group Americans for Prosperity (AFP-KS) today applauded U.S. Congressional candidate Patricia Lightner (3rd District) for signing the group’s “No Climate Tax Pledge.” By doing so, Lightner joins over 285 lawmakers and candidates on the federal, state and local levels pledging to “oppose legislation relating to climate change that includes a net increase in government revenue.”

“The one thing elected officials should be able to agree on is that global warming shouldn’t be used as an excuse to hike taxes on citizens and businesses,” said AFP-KS State Director Derrick Sontag. “We encourage all of Kansas’s elected officials and candidates for elected office to sign the pledge.”

Every Republican member of the Kansas federal delegation has already signed pledge, including: Senators Pat Roberts and Sam Brownback; Reps. Todd Tiahrt, Lynn Jenkins and Jerry Moran. Five state senators and fifteen state representatives have also signed the pledge.

Cap-and-trade took its first step toward enactment when the U.S. House narrowly passed the Waxman-Markey energy tax bill, which escaped the lower chamber by a scant seven votes despite significant bipartisan opposition. Senators Boxer (D-Calif.) and Kerry (D-Mass.) have just begun committee hearings on companion legislation in the Senate. However, key Democratic senators have expressed opposition to attempting to pass cap-and-trade this year.

President Obama has made no secret of his support for the bill, which would be the largest tax increase in American history. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office has scored the plan as an $846 billion increase in federal revenue, a burden that will be borne by taxpayers and consumers for decades to come.

“Using the guise of climate change to transfer dollars from hard-working citizens to bureaucratic big government is unacceptable,” said Sontag. “Regardless of their stance on global warming, this should be common ground for all of our elected officials at all levels of government.” The pledge is available online at www.NoClimateTax.com. AFP does not endorse candidates.

All elected officials and candidates are encouraged to sign the pledge and go on the record in opposition to using the climate change issue to increase taxes and grow the size of government.

Americans for Prosperity® (AFP) is a nationwide organization of citizen leaders committed to advancing every individual's right to economic freedom and opportunity. AFP believes reducing the size and scope of government is the best safeguard to ensuring individual productivity and prosperity for all Americans. AFP educates and engages citizens in support of restraining state and federal government growth, and returning government to its constitutional limits. AFP has more than 800,000 members, including members in all 50 states, and 25 state chapters. More than 55,000 Americans in all 50 states have made a financial investment in AFP or AFP Foundation. For more information, visit www.americansforprosperity.org