House Republicans today introduced the American Energy Act (H.R. 6566), a comprehensive measure to help reduce gas prices by harnessing new technologies, encouraging greater conservation and efficiency, and increasing American energy production in an environmentally-safe manner. House Republicans will push for an up-or-down vote on the legislation before Congress adjourns for the August recess in nine days. What is this bill going to do for Americans?
To increase the supply American-made energy in environmentally sound ways, the legislation will:
Open energy-rich America’s deep ocean resources, Arctic coastal plain, and Inter-Mountain West oil shale resources for more environmentally-safe oil and gas exploration, while removing bureaucratic red tape that hinders the construction of new refineries.
To improve energy conservation and efficiency, the legislation will:
Provide tax incentives for businesses and families that improve their energy efficiency, including by purchasing more fuel efficient vehicles, while awarding a monetary prize to the first entrepreneur to develop an economically feasible, super-fuel-efficient vehicle (reaching 100 miles-per-gallon).
To promote alternative and renewable energy technologies, the legislation will:
Spurring the development of alternative fuels by:
Establishing a renewable energy trust fund using revenues generated by exploration in the deep ocean and on the Arctic coastal plain;
Eliminating barriers to the expansion of emission-free nuclear power production;
Permanently extending the tax credit for alternative energy production, including wind, solar and hydrogen;
Repealing the prohibition on government purchasing of alternative energy; and
Promoting coal-to-liquids technology.
Already GOP support is mounting for this bill. Here is Republican Leader, my Congressman and a Great American -- John Boehner:
"House Republicans have a plan to help lower gas prices by supporting more production of American energy, encouraging more conservation and efficiency, and promoting greater use of alternative fuels. Today, we’ve transformed our plan into a single bill that reflects our ‘all of the above’ strategy. We have only nine days remaining before the August recess, and it’s time for Speaker Pelosi to bring this bill to the floor so Members on both sides of the aisle can give it the support we all know it would receive.
“A solid majority of Americans and a bipartisan majority in Congress support more production of American-made energy to help bring down the price at the pump. For months on end, Democratic leaders have instead clung to the failed anti-American energy policies that have driven gas prices to historic levels and increased our costly and dangerous dependence on foreign sources of oil and gas. By blocking a vote on our ‘all of the above’ plan to reduce energy costs, Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Hoyer, and their colleagues in the Democratic leadership are proving themselves complicit in financial crunch families feel each and every time they fill up their tanks. Congress must not adjourn for the August recess without giving the American Energy Act an up-or-down vote, and House Republicans will continue to fight to hold Democratic leaders accountable until the American people get the vote they expect and deserve.”
And here is OH-18 candidate Fred Dailey:
"Ohio families are suffering right now," said Fred Dailey. "Zack Space has done nothing to help Eastern Ohioans during this energy crisis. My approach includes drilling for oil off our coasts and in ANWR, encouraging the expansion of clean coal technology and expanding other forms of alternative fuels."
Space has already announced his support for the so-called "Use It or Lose It" legislation which claims to force energy companies to drill on the land they're leasing from the federal government or lose the lease. But the Associated Press recently debunked the Democrats' "Use It or Lose It" bill, writing: "An oil company can spend several years after it negotiates a lease securing the permits and other approvals it needs to begin actual production…. Leases also can get tied up in court, often over environmental concerns. Or companies can determine that developing a particular tract doesn't make economic sense. Either way, they're listed on the federal government's books as 'non-producing.'" (AP, 7-21-08)
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"The 18th Congressional District is crying out for relief from high gas prices but all they're getting from Washington is hypocritical double-talk and bills like 'Use It or Lose It' that are already law," Dailey for Congress campaign manager Sean Bartley said. "The voters have a clear choice this year between Zack Space who is for the status quo on energy policy and Fred Dailey who supports a comprehensive plan that will lower gas prices and lessen our dependence on foreign oil."
NOTE: For more information on the American Energy Act (H.R. 6566), click
here.
