Washington, DC – Congressman Todd Akin (R-MO) will oppose the Energy Bill debated in the House today.

“The objective of U.S energy policy should be the decrease of our dependence on foreign oil, and an increasing dependence on American energy,” Said Akin. “This bill further increases our dependence on foreign energy and decreases our reliance on American energy and therefore does more harm than good.”

“Today’s Democratic proposal does not encourage any realistic increase in the production of American Energy,” said Akin. “As a matter of fact, it increases taxes on American energy producers and does nothing to encourage or increase access to natural American oil and gas resources.”

“At a time when American families are facing tremendous increases in energy prices, today’s bill seeks to discourage energy production by taxing American energy companies,” said Akin. “At a time when not one new refinery has been built in decades and when oil is breaking the $100 a barrel mark, it is imperative to encourage increased U.S. energy production. Instead this bill would discourage it.”

“This bill does not increase the availability of affordable energy but seeks to decrease demand by increasing the cost,” said Akin. “Not only does that give foreign oil producers greater influence, it creates unnecessary hardship for American Families.”