I agree with the President on ensuring a clean future for America, and that we must make investments into wind, solar and other alternative energies, while further developing our nuclear capacity - but we cannot expect to transition from a fossil-fuel economy overnight. For example, today, coal meets approximately half of our nation's energy demands. We must have a full range of energy resources in our national energy portfolio that create jobs, are abundant and cost efficient, put us on a path to energy independence, and will help our economy grow.

Unfortunately, on the same day that over 90 energy-related businesses and roughly 500 people joined me in Washington, PA for an energy expo showcasing our region's growing economy, President Obama stated directly that he would tax the one resource that is vital to southwestern Pennsylvania. President Obama said he would put a "price on carbon pollution" in the coming months.

That means a tax on coal, oil and natural gas, or any fossil fuel. The President made similar statements during his 2008 campaign in San Francisco, saying that as a result of his policies, "energy rates would skyrocket" because energy companies would simply pass the new costs onto us - the consumers. Watch the video here.

It is shocking and disappointing that the President chose our resource-rich area to make this carbon tax announcement, which is a blow to local jobs and industry. What the President should have focused on was a positive message about unleashing our science and research capabilities within our local universities and at the National Energy Research Lab in South Park, or highlighting the growing jobs we have going on in our natural gas sector.

The energy economy in Pennsylvania is serious business, and taxing fossil fuels would do great damage to the over 41,000 coal related jobs, 44,000 natural gas jobs, and an additional 88,000 jobs expected to come online this year in the natural gas industry.

In his speech, President Obama said "the votes [for cap-and-trade] may not be there right now, but I intend to find them in the coming months...and we will get this done." Unfortunately, we can only assume that just as was done on the health care legislation where special deals and kickbacks were given to win key votes in the Senate, similar efforts will be underway to secure final passage.

Cap-and-trade passed the House of Representatives in the summer of last year, but it has been stonewalled in the Senate. Please let your voice be heard and contact our two Pennsylvania Senators to ensure this job-killing tax does not become law.