Date: 2003-11-18
Speaker: VAN HOLLEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I rise In strong opposition to the energy bill now before us. It has been said that the end depends upon the beginningand that has never been more true than it Is with this final conference report. it is worth remembering that this initiative began with the now infamous series of secret meetings between Vice President CHENEY and his wellconnected energy Industry lobbyist friends. As a result of those meetings. the Bush administrations Initial proposal called for $10 billion of taxpayer giveaways to the fossil fuel and nuclear industries. Now. after shutting duly appointed Democratic conferees out of the negotiating room. that number has apparently ballooned to over $20 billion. So much for fiscal discipline. The proponents of this legislation like to use words like balanced. For most Americans. the word balanced means roughly equally divided. Between. say. production and conservation. Or fossil fuels and renewables. Or where we are. and where we want to be. By any reasonable measure. this bill fails that test. In fact. this conference report provides an estimated $3 in tax credits to the fossil fuel and nuclear industries for every $1 it allocates to renewables and energy efficiency. So much for balance. Another claim being made by proponents of this bill is that it will create jobs. We do need to create new jobsespecially after this administrations economic performance. But throwing a hodgepodge of special interest tax breaks together and calling it a jobs package is simply not a substitute for sound economic policyand it wont retrieve the 1.7 million jobs that have been lost since President Bush took office. Which is a shame. Because the right energy bill--one that gives the United States the competitive advantage we really ought to have in the renewable energy and green technologies of the 21st centurywould provided a massive boost to the economy. creating up to two million good. highskilled. highwage manufacturing. installation and servicing jobs. And these are the kind of jobs that wont go overseas. Theres just no reason we should be losing to the Japanese on hybrid cars. or to the Danes on wind turbines. or to the Germans on solar PV. We should be the dominant leader in the world on all these technologies. And if we were. wed be cleaning up the environment. enhancing our national security. gaining our energy independence and revitalizing our economyinstead of debating this 1.200 page missed opportunity. The truth is. Mr. Speaker. the legislation before us Is long on unwarranted. special interest goodies for the oil and gas Industries. And Novel7ber 18. 2003 it falls woefully short on needed investments in the renewable. nonpolluting energy technologies of the future. Instead of a national Renewable Portfolio Standard. we have increased reliance on fossil fuels. Instead of improved automobile efficiency. we have a weakening of the Clean Air Act. Instead of aggressive action to curb energyassociated pollution. we have a liability shield for the polluters. The American people deserve an energy policy worthy of the promise and challenges of the 21st century. We need to reduce our reliance on foreign oil and develop clean. less polluting energy sources. This is not that policy. Lets go back to the drawing board and develop an energy policy that reflects the public interest. rather than the special interests.