Media Release
| For Immediate Release | Contact | Phone |
| January 19, 2007 | Eve Weissman | 856-966-3091 |
NJ Citizen Action Rebukes U.S. Rep. Scott Garrett (R-5) for Vote Against Bipartisan Bill to Repeal Big Oil Tax Breaks and Invest in Alternative Energy
With Zero Support from Rep. Scott Garrett, the U.S. House Passed Entire '100 Hour' Middle Class Agenda, Including Raising the Minimum Wage, Making College Affordable, Requiring Medicare to Negotiate Cheaper Drugs for Seniors and Repealing Big Oil Tax Breaks/Investing in Alternative Energy
Trenton, NJ — With Thursday's passage of H.R. 6 in the U.S. House of Representatives, New Jersey Citizen Action (NJCA) hailed the extraordinary leadership of Speaker Nancy Pelosi in passing all four economic components of the '100 Hour' agenda with time to spare. NJCA wants Rep. Scott Garrett to explain to the people of New Jersey whose interests he is really representing in Washington in the wake of his votes against each and every element of the Middle Class Agenda. H.R. 6 – legislation to close loopholes and end giveaways in the tax code for the big oil industry and to create a Strategic Renewable Energy Reserve to invest in clean, renewable energy resources, promoting new emerging technologies, developing greater efficiency and improving energy conservation – passed by a 264–163 margin, including 36 Republicans. The latest legislative victory came on the heels of legislation put forward by Speaker Pelosi to increase the federal minimum wage to $7.25 an hour; to slash the interest rates on subsidized student loans in half; and to require Medicare to negotiate for lower prescription drug prices with the pharmaceutical industry - each passing with bipartisan support – each passing without the support of Congresswoman Garrett.
New Jersey Citizen Action is part of the Change America Now! (CAN) Campaign, a national effort that was launched last December by nearly 40 organizations in 31 states to call on Members of Congress to support the economic elements of the '100 Hour Agenda' as outlined by Speaker Pelosi. The CAN campaign has since organized dozens of public events across the country, utilizing high intensity 'grassroots' campaign tactics to convince Members of Congress to support the 100 Hour Agenda, including: aggressive press events at Members' offices, town hall meetings, demonstrations, petition drives, tens of thousands of constituent phone calls and emails to Members, and Op-Eds/Letters to the Editor in local markets. The CAN campaign has sought to pass the '100 Hour Agenda' with large bipartisan majorities in the U.S. House in an effort to build momentum for passage in a closely divided U.S. Senate and to apply sufficient pressure on President Bush to sign them into law.
- All Members of NJ's Congressional Delegation voted YES on H.R. 2 – Increase the Minimum Wage – EXCEPT REP. SCOTT GARRETT (R-5)
- All Members of NJ's Congressional Delegation voted YES on H.R. 4 – Medicare Drug Price Negotiations – EXCEPT REPS. JIM SAXTON (R-3), SCOTT GARRETT (R-5), MIKE FERGUSON (R-7) and RODNEY FRELINGHUYSEN (R-11)
- All Members of NJ's Congressional Delegation voted YES on H.R. 5 – Cut the Interest Rate on Student Loans – EXCEPT REP. SCOTT GARRETT (R-5)
- All Members of NJ's Congressional Delegation voted YES on H.R. 6 – Cut Big Oil Tax Breaks and Invest in Clean Energy – EXCEPT REP. SCOTT GARRETT (R-5) and REP. RODNEY FRELINGHUYSEN (R-11).
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New Jersey Citizen Action is the state's largest citizen watchdog organization, representing more than 100 senior, labor, faith-based, environmental, tenant and women's organizations and over 60,000 family members. 