Sources: Staff reports; U.S. House of Representatives

Party interests aside, Rep. Joe Barton’s (R-TX) nay on American Clean Energy and Security Act likely reflects certain constituents’ sensitivity to a “national energy tax.” His 6th Congressional District encompasses Midlothian, where Ash Grove Texas, Holcim (US) Inc. and TXI operations make up one of the country’s largest concentrations of cement production capacity. A Concrete Products and Cement Americas analysis of Waxman-Markey voting reveals that representatives with cement interests in their district voted against the initiative by more than a 2-to-1 margin. Voting trends also revealed that, while most House members voted along party lines, a great number of the 44 Democrats that voted against the act have cement properties in their district. None of the eight Republicans supporting Waxman-Markey represent districts with cement mills.