U.S. Congressman Rubén Hinojosa (D-Mercedes) voted in favor of the American Clean Energy and Security Act Friday.

The controversial bill, also known as the Waxman-Markey bill, or cap and trade, passed the House by a narrow vote of 219-212.

Hinojosa was one of only two South Texas congressmen to support the legislation pushed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the national Democrat Party. Other area Democratic Congressmen Solomon Ortiz and Ciro Rodriguez voted against the bill which opponents point out is essentially a tax on energy which will hurt the poor, farmers and rural Americans among the hardest.

“I am pleased to support HR 2454, the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009,” said Congressman Hinojosa. “Passing this bill is in the best interest of our district and the United States of America. The bill will create millions of new green jobs, create a clean energy economy, slow global warming and reduce our dependence upon foreign sources of energy.”

Hinojosa’s press release goes on to promise the bill will create millions of new clean energy jobs.

But oppoenents such as The Heritage Foundation argue that the legislation will, in fact, kill far more jobs than it creates. It notes: “Over the 2012-2035 timeline, job losses average over 1.1 million. By 2035, a projected 2.5 million jobs are lost below the baseline (without a cap and trade bill). Particularly hit hard are sectors of the economy that are very energy-intensive: Manufacturers, farmers, construction, machinery, electrical equipment and appliances, transportation, textiles, paper products, chemicals, plastics and rubbers, and retail trade would face staggering employment losses as a result of Waxman-Markey. It’s worth noting the job losses come after accounting for the green jobs policymakers are so adamant about creating.”

Hinojosa points out that the Congressional Budget Office – which is controlled by the Democrat Party as the sitting majority – estimates nearly half of the households in the district will see a net savings in their energy bill of $40/year,” Hinojosa added. “Our district has a tremendous opportunity to take advantage of the bill’s investments in technology, weatherization, and energy efficiency.”

Yet the Congress of Racial Equality argues: “The Waxman-Markey climate bill is ‘an immoral assault on poor Americans’ because it is designed to purposely raise the cost of energy in order to force the working poor to reduce their standard of living, according to one of the nation’s leading civil rights champions.”

Roy Innis, chairman of the Congress of Racial Equality – one of America’s oldest civil rights organizations – made the allegation in a letter to all members of Congress last week. CORE has been heavily engaged in the national energy policy debate since the publication of Innis’ 2007 book, “Energy Keepers, Energy Killers.” The book was a Washington Post non-fiction best-seller.

“In my 40-plus years as the chairman of CORE, I have seen few federal bills that would do more harm to America’s working class and low-income citizens and families than the Waxman-Markey climate tax bill,” Innis wrote to members of Congress.

The National Black Chamber of Commerce estimates that the bill could result in annual drops in gross domestic product (GDP) of $170 billion in 2015, $350 billion in 2030, and $730 billion in 2050, and a net jobs loss of 2.3 million to 3 million – a figure that includes all the “green” jobs created.

The Heritage Foundation concurs with CORE and the National Black Chamber of Commerce, “Just about everything we do and produce uses energy. As energy prices increase, those costs will be passed onto the consumer and reflected in the higher prices we pay for products. Higher energy prices will cause reduced income, less production and an economy that falls way short of its potential. The average Gross Domestic Product (GDP) lost is $393 billion, hitting a high of $662 billion in 2035. From 2012-2035, the accumulated GDP lost is $9.4 trillion. The negative economic impacts accumulate, and the national debt is no exception. The increase in family-of-four debt, solely because of Waxman-Markey, hits an almost unbelievable $114,915 by 2035.”

Congressman Hinojosa concluded, “Ultimately, I believe this bill is a bold step in the right direction and that our community is poised to take the lead. I will continue to work with my colleagues in the Senate to improve the legislation and address the remaining concerns of my constituents, agriculture and small business.”

This bill now goes to the Senate for its consideration.