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Staten Islander Joins Malliotakis in "Heat Your Home Tax" Congressional Roundtable

October 27, 2021

Malliotakis was joined by Staten Island Resident Claudette Duff, President & CEO of Integrity Senior Services, as Republicans Exposed Democrats' plans to increase energy costs

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) -Yesterday Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11) was joined by Staten Island Senior Citizens Advocate Claudette Duff while participating in a roundtable with House Republican Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA), Representatives Bill Johnson (R-OH), Kelly Armstrong (R-ND), Carol Miller (R-WV), Debbie Lesko (R-AZ), small business owners, and representatives from the energy industry, where they exposed and discussed the dangers of Democrats' Natural Gas Tax set to be included in President Biden's $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill.

"The cost of living in New York is out of control, and unfortunately I'm seeing a lot of those same policies that have driven up the cost of everything in New York being adopted at the federal level," Malliotakis said. "President Biden's plans to strictly rely on renewable energy sources would significantly reduce America's energy independence, make us more reliant on our adversaries for oil, and increase costs on nearly everything from food, basic goods, medicines, and manufacturing in the United States."

According to the American Gas Association, Democrats' Natural Gas Tax included in the reconciliation bill could raise Americans' energy bills anywhere from $85 to $242 per year, on top of the 54% increase in heating costs expected this winter. The bill also includes climate legislation that would penalize private companies that fail to switch from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources.

"As a state legislator, I voted for programs that set goals to reduce New York State's greenhouse gas emissions and incentivize the use of renewable energy, but to avoid what is occurring in Europe, where natural gas prices have increased 200% in 2021, we must have energy diversification. President Biden's initial action of canceling the Keystone XL Pipeline and then pleading with OPEC to front more oil is nonsensical," Malliotakis added.

Malliotakis was joined by Staten Island resident and Senior Citizens Advocate Claudette Duff, who highlighted how inflation and rising energy costs are affecting those in the New York City community, particularly the most vulnerable in society including senior citizens and those living on fixed incomes.

"More and more seniors are losing their homes to foreclosure," Duff said. "Increased inflation and the potential impact of rising energy costs this winter has given me cause for concern for the seniors I serve in my community. Implementing this tax could add to these rising costs, and I'm concerned that vulnerable seniors are not being considered. Most seniors have little financial wiggle room."

Watch Congresswoman Malliotakis' remarks HERE

Watch Claudette Duff's remarks HERE

Watch the Leader's Roundtable HERE