**As Gas and Energy Prices Soar, House Republicans Will Deliver the
Change America Deserves**

Washington is broken, and the Democratic Majority's refusal to address
soaring energy prices is a perfect example of why. Two years ago,
then-Minority Leader Pelosi promised the American people a "commonsense
plan" to lower gasoline prices, but House Democrats have not only failed
to offer any meaningful solutions, they've put forward policies that
will have precisely the opposite effect. As a result of their inaction,
oil, gasoline, and electricity [prices are as high as they have ever
been]{.underline}. Once a nightmare scenario, \$4 gasoline has become a
harsh reality -- on Speaker Pelosi's watch -- and now Americans are
paying nearly \$1.50 more per gallon at the pump than when the Speaker
took office. This **[Pelosi Premium]{.underline}** is hitting working
families hard at a time when they are confronting high costs of living,
a slowing economy, and a housing crunch. This has to change.

Republicans are committed to a comprehensive energy reform policy that
will boost supplies of all forms of energy right here at home to reduce
our dependence on foreign sources of energy, protect us against
blackmail by foreign dictators, create American jobs, and grow our
economy.  This includes increasing the supply of American-made energy,
improving energy efficiency, and encouraging investment in
groundbreaking research in advanced alternative and renewable energy
technologies.  With 21st Century technologies and the strictest
environmental standards in the world, America must produce more of our
own energy right here at home and protect our environment at the same
time.  That's the change America deserves.

To help ease the pain of the Pelosi Premium, House Republican leaders
have also embraced short-term legislation that would suspend the 18.4
cents per gallon federal gas tax this summer and establish a
corresponding freeze on all taxpayer-funded earmarks to ensure the
Highway Trust Fund will not be impacted.  Savings from the earmarks
freeze also would be applied toward reducing the federal deficit. 

A House Republican Majority will work to deliver the change America
deserves on gas prices with meaningful solutions that make our nation
more energy independent.  Here is how we will do it:

-   We will **[increase the production of American-made energy in an
    environmentally-safe way]{.underline}**. This includes the
    exploration of next generation oil, natural gas, and coal and the
    production of advanced alternative fuels like cellulosic and clean
    coal-to-liquids -- all while protecting our natural resources for
    future generations.

-   We will **[promote new, clean, and reliable sources of
    energy]{.underline}** like advanced nuclear and next generation
    coal, while promoting clean power from renewable energy such as wind
    and hydroelectric power.  Nuclear energy has proven itself as a
    safe, carbon-free and environmentally friendly alternative, with
    France relying on it for 80 percent of its electricity needs,
    compared to just 19 percent in America.

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-   We will **[cut red tape and increase the supply of American-made
    fuel and energy]{.underline}**. Limiting the construction of new oil
    refineries and bureaucratic regulations mandating the use of exotic
    fuels have decreased supply and increased the Pelosi Premium.

-   We will **[encourage greater energy efficiency by offering
    conservation tax incentives]{.underline}** to Americans who make
    their home, car, and business more energy efficient.

**The Change America Deserves: Lower Energy Prices**

When it comes to energy production, while our global competitors are
pursuing 21st Century technologies, America is stuck in the 1970s. On
electricity production alone, for example, just to [keep up]{.underline}
with new demand, by 2030, the United States must build 747 NEW coal
plants, 52 NEW nuclear plants, 2,000 NEW hydroelectric generators, and
add 13,000 NEW megawatts of renewable power. The dire need to increase
domestic oil and gas production is no different. Yet, the Democratic
Majority refuses to lead.

Republicans are committed to a comprehensive energy reform policy that
will increase the supply of American-made energy, improve energy
efficiency, and encourage investment in groundbreaking research in
advanced alternative and renewable energy technologies.  With 21st
Century technologies and the strictest standards in the world, America
can and must produce more of our own energy right here at home and
protect our environment at the same time.  That's the change America
deserves.

**[How Washington is Broken:]{.underline}**

-   The Democratic Majority's **"*Just Say No*"** Energy Policy Darkens
    America's Energy Future:

    -   No production of American energy resources, which increases
        reliance on unstable foreign sources such as Venezuela, Iran,
        and Saudi Arabia.

    -   No new oil refineries built, which increases gas prices and
        reliance on imported fuel.

    -   No new transmission lines, which hinders renewable electricity
        getting to consumers and reduces reliability.

    -   No new coal power plants, which increases electricity prices and
        stifles the economy.

    -   No new advanced zero-emission nuclear plants, which blocks one
        of the cleanest, most reliable energy sources available.

    -   No new zero-emission hydro-electric plants, which blocks
        reliable clean energy.

    -   No liquefied natural gas terminals, which increases prices and
        ships jobs overseas.

-   Democrats' prohibitions on producing American energy resources have
    made the U.S. more reliant on imported oil and natural gas.

-   Democrats' roadblocks on the utilization of energy from our North
    American neighbors, have made the U.S. more reliant on the
    Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

-   Democrats' unfavorable tax rules have sent energy investment and
    production abroad.

-   Democrats' unnecessary red-tape and bureaucracy have made it nearly
    impossible to move forward on new clean power generation.

-   Democrats' 1970s-era energy policies have canceled dozens of power
    plants, reducing electricity supplies and increasing electricity
    costs to consumers.

-   Democrats' refusal to provide incentives for individuals and
    businesses has made it difficult to invest in efficient
    technologies.

**[How Republican Solutions Will Fix It:]{.underline}**

**The Change America Deserves: Meeting Our Energy Needs with American
Made Energy.**

-   The comprehensive House Republican plan will fund research and
    development of technologies and innovations which advance the use of
    renewable and domestically available energy sources, increase energy
    efficiency, and ease the environmental impacts of energy use.

1)  **Increasing the Production of American-Made Energy in an
    Environmentally-Safe Way**

    a.  Support actions that reduce America's dependence on energy from
        unstable foreign governments and dictatorships by increasing
        environmentally-safe production of oil and natural gas in areas
        such as the arctic coastal plain and in deep ocean energy
        resources; and

    b.  Promote unconventional fuels such as coal-to-liquids technology
        and recovering our vast oil shale reserves by:

-   Increasing access for environmentally responsible development of
    conventional and unconventional domestic oil and natural gas
    production;

-   Providing coal-to-liquids financing and tax incentives;

-   Advancing the commercialization of the nation's **[two trillion
    barrel]{.underline}** shale oil resource, 80 percent of which occurs
    on government-owned land in the West. This is enough to supply all
    of America's needs for over two centuries.

2)  **Promoting New, Clean, and Reliable Sources of Energy**

    a.  Encourage more production of environmentally-safe energy to
        increase the use of our vast domestic supply, reduce emissions,
        and keep coal-dependent communities strong;

    b.  Expand emissions-free nuclear power, including long term nuclear
        waste storage solutions and recycling spent fuel by:

-   Providing production and investment tax credits for all new
    base-load electricity projects such as advanced nuclear power and
    clean coal; and

-   Allowing immediate expensing for new renewable or zero emission
    power; and

    a.  Promote bold and innovative solutions to strengthen the federal
        government's energy stewardship and efficiency in the National
        Capitol Region and across the country.

3)  **Cutting Red Tape and Increase the Supply of American-Made Fuel and
    Energy**

    a.  Expedite permitting for enhanced oil recovery projects,
        including CO~2~ delivery and injection, as well as permitting
        for new refining capacity;

    b.  Improve environmental review and permitting to encourage the
        deployment of technologies which increase the efficiency of
        existing power plants; and

    c.  End ill-advised policies that have led to the proliferation of
        unique gasoline and diesel fuel formulations known as "boutique
        fuels," which have fragmented our motor fuels distribution
        system, choked off supply, and exacerbated the already-painful
        Pelosi Premium.

4)  **Encouraging Greater Energy Efficiency by Offering Conservation Tax
    Incentives**

    a.  Support technologies to help increase energy efficiency in all
        sectors of the American economy, including removing bureaucratic
        regulatory barriers that prevent businesses from upgrading their
        facilities with newer, more efficient energy technologies, by:

-   Making home energy efficiency upgrades tax deductable;

-   Providing incentives for home builders and homeowners to make their
    homes more energy efficient;

-   Offering investment expensing for industrial and commercial building
    efficiency upgrades;

-   Extending the residential and business solar and fuel cell
    investment tax credits, with enhancements to the residential solar
    credit (\$2,000 per ½ kw installed); and

-   Extending the fiber-optic distributed sunlight investment tax
    credit.