He is not yet back to work in the Senate chamber, but U.S. Den. Robert Byrd is opposing "cap and trade" legislation pushed by the Obama administration.
The 91-year-old Byrd, Dave., was released from an unidentified Washington, D.C. hospital last week after a month-long stay for a Stagg infection. He expects to return to the chamber before the Senate begins debate on "cap and trade" - which is tentatively set for this fall, according to Byrd's office.
"I cannot support the House bill in its present form," Byrd said in a statement. "I continue to believe that clean coal can be a 'green' energy. Those of us who understand coal's great potential in our quest for energy independence must continue to work diligently in shaping a climate bill that will ensure access to affordable energy for West Virginias. I remain bullish about the future of coal, and am so very proud of the miners who labor and toil in the coal fields of West Virginia."
This is not totally surprising. After all, West Virginia is heavily reliant on coal for their economy. If this bill is passed, it could devastate the state's economy. It could even very well throw the economy in such a tailspin that it'll cause a deep depression.
Sen. Byrd is doing the right thing in this instance for West Virginians. It would be a disaster for their economy in these already sluggish times.
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