Congressman Fortenberry Votes to Raise Taxes for the Fourth Time on Nebraskans
Congressman Votes to Raise Taxes Again, Broke Promise to Constituents Multiple Times

Washington, DC – Rep. Fortenberry (R-Neb.), has once again voted with Nancy Pelosi and against taxpayers in the Neb. 1st District. By voting for H.R. 5351, the “Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2008”, the Nebraska Congressman voted to raise taxes on his constituents for the fourth time. Americans for Tax Reform strongly urges voters in the 1st District to consider the following:

• H.R. 6, the so-called “CLEAN Energy Act of 2007”, was the first tax increase at the federal level in thirteen years. The Democrat-controlled House, with Rep. Fortenberry’s support, forced a vote in its first fifteen days to raise taxes on domestic energy production, subsequently lowering the value of millions of Americans’ retirement funds. This measure was a violation of the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, signed by 196 Congressmen, including Rep. Fortenberry, 42 Senators and a sitting President

• H.R. 2419, the “Farm Bill” was touted by socialist radicals as reform, and Rep. Fortenberry voted for its passage - but it is nothing of the sort. It is more of the misguided subsidies that prevent the free marker from existing in agriculture, drives up prices, and rewards the richest corporate farms with tax dollars. It also includes a provision that directly raises taxes. This marked the second time Rep. Fortenberry broke his pledge never to raise taxes.

• H.R. 3221, the alleged, “New Direction for Energy Independence, National Security, and Consumer Protection Act” was an egregious tax-laden, anti-consumer piece of legislation that sought to increase the cost of appliances and decrease consumer choice, regulate corporate business models of the auto-industry, and mandate local utilities use a certain percentage of “renewable” energy which passes the cost and taxes directly onto the consumer.

• H.R. 5351, the most recent vote for a tax increase by Rep. Fortenberry, raised taxes on domestic energy production. As the economy shows some signs of entering a recession, this is the wrong time to talk about raising taxes, especially on domestic energy production.

“Nebraska taxpayers’ wallets continue to remain under attack as a result of Rep. Fortenberry’s fiscal irresponsibility,” stated Grover Norquist, president of ATR, “I strongly urge taxpayers in the Cornhusker state to press Rep. Fortenberry on his decision to continuously vote to decrease the value of thousands of Nebraskans’ 401(k) plans, retirement plans and pension funds, which are invested in publicly-traded energy companies.”

Continued Norquist, "I hope Nebraska taxpayers will join me in calling on Rep. Fortenberry to finally act like his word to his constituents is worth the paper his Pledge is printed on.”