Louisiana, Melançon has been an advocate in the United States Congress for hurricane recovery. Supporting small businesses and economic development Melancon supported the Job Creation Through Entrepreneurship Act (H.R. 2352), a bill that provided funding for more small business development centers. These small business incubators provide office space, support, and technology to help new companies get off the ground. He also supported tax relief for small businesses, voting for the Small Business Tax Relief Act of 2007 (H.R. 976). The bill provided tax credits and incentives for expanding and purchasing new equipment. Melançon joined other members from energy-producing states, as well as the Louisiana Oil and Gas Association, to keep new taxes on the oil and gas industry out of the President's 2010 budget. Climate change Melancon voted against the American Clean Energy and Security Act (H.R. 2454) twice, once in the Energy and Commerce Committee and again in the full the United States House of Representatives. The bill is also known as the "Waxman-Markey Energy Bill" or the "cap-and-trade" bill. Melançon said in a release that he opposed the bill because he believed it would hurt his "district and the people I represent … The oil and gas industry is the engine driving south Louisiana's economy, providing good-paying jobs to hundreds of thousands of our workers for generations." Melancon was successful in including an amendment in the bill that would protect Louisiana's share of wetlands restoration funding from cuts indirectly caused by hurricane disaster assistance. America's Affordable Health Choices Act On July 31, 2009, Melançon voted against the America's Affordable Health Choices Act (H.R. 3200) in the Energy and Commerce Committee. Melançon explained in a statement that he voted against the bill for reasons including its potential effects on small businesses, the possibility of taxpayer-funded abortions, and increases in taxes. Melançon said he was concerned that "the public option, as designed, would unfairly undercut anything the private sector could offer." He noted that the bill does not do enough to address the need for more providers in rural communities. Melancon also voted against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in March 2010, because it "doesn’t work for Louisiana." However, he had not signed the discharge petition circulated by Iowa Republican Steve King calling for a complete repeal of the law. American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 Melançon voted for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.