High gas and energy prices are wreaking havoc on family budgets. The average
American family spent $3,080 to fill up their cars in 2007, compared to nearly
$1,600 in 2001 when President Bush took office. With three and a half months
left in 2008, this year threatens to be much higher. That is unfair and
unacceptable. We need a new energy policy that acknowledges the complexity of
the energy crisis and the need for a comprehensive solution. No one solution
offers a cure-all.
This week, the House of Representatives passed H.R.
6899, the Comprehensive American Energy Security and Consumer Protection Act.
The bill responsibly expands domestic energy supply, invests in renewable energy
sources like wind and solar, creates greater energy efficiency and conservation
programs, and ends unfair tax breaks for Big Oil.
The bill’s key
provisions include:
- Permitting drilling on the Outer Continental Shelf between 50 and 100 miles
offshore if a state enacts an opt-in law to allow leasing off its coastline;
- Investing in wind, solar, and other renewable energy sources to cut our
dependence on fossil fuels and foreign oil, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and
create green jobs;
- Expanding conservation efforts by providing energy efficient home
incentives, improving building standards, and promoting public transportation;
and
- Rolling back tax breaks for Big Oil in a time of record oil company profits
and requiring oil companies to pay royalties already owed to taxpayers.
Gas prices won’t plummet overnight, but the Comprehensive American Energy
Security and Consumer Protection Act will help ease the pain at the pump by
increasing our domestic energy supply, investing in renewable energy sources,
improving energy conservation and efficiency, and ending unnecessary tax breaks
for Big Oil. On top of that, Congress has already passed, and the President
signed, legislation to increase fuel efficiency and combat oil market
speculation.
With the passage of this bill, we are one step closer to
getting back on track. We need a new, family-friendly, comprehensive energy
policy signed into law now.
Sincerely,
Pete Visclosky
Member of
Congress
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