Date: 2005-04-21
Speaker: VAN HOLLEN (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. as Yogi. Berra used to say "its d6ja vu all over again." I never would have imagined: During a time of war in the Middle East. heading into the summer smog season in cities like Washington. DC. with prices at the pump hitting $2.50 a gallon. we are here today telling our constituents that the wisest course of action--.the best America can do -with its energy policyis "more of the same". Nonsense. We have choices. We always have choices. What we apparently dont haveyetis the leadership to make them. Take national security. Rather than heeding the clarion call of former CIA Director Woolsey. former National Security Advisor McFarlane and others to reduce our use of foreign oil by launching "a major new initiative to curtail U.S. consumption through improved efficiency and the rapid development of . . . petroleum fuel alternatives." this legislation actually increases our reliance on foreign oil. according to the independent Energy Information Agency (EIA). What about economic growth? Weve lost over 2.8 million manufacturing jobs since 2001and no matter how hard todays proponents try to spin itthis bill isnt going to bring them back. To the contrary. by doling out additional tax breaks to already highly profitable oil companies. this legislation represents a monumental missed opportunity to target critical federal investments towards the rapidly expanding green industries of the 21st century. We should be the world leader in renewable energy and hybrid technologiesnot playing catch up to the Danes. Germans and Japanese. In that regard. I regret that an amendment I offered with Reps. INSLEE (DWA). and HOLT (DNJ) to achieve this goal was blocked by the Rules Committee and will not be permitted a floor vote today. Finally. no serious. discussion about formulating a comprehensive national energy policy can take place without reference to the environmental impacts of our nations energy consumption. However. rather than having -that discussion. this bill instead goes the other direction by deliberately chipping away at the Clean Water. Clean Air and National Environmental Policy Acts. It once again proposes to despoil the ANWR while ignoring the potential for far greater fuel gains through a long overdue increase in CAFE standards. And it brazenly extends a special interest liability waiver to MTBE manufacturers whose product is polluting groundwater in many of our districtsleaving taxpayers" to pick up the tab. In my home state of Maryland. important statewide energy efficiency standards and local LNG siting perogatives are preempted. And throughout the entire 1019 pages of this legislation. you will not find a single reference to climate change--despite a bipartisan effort I joined to attach language which would have taken the modest step of establishing a national greenhouse gas registry. That amendment. which twice received unanimous support in the Senate. was similarly quashed by the Rules Committee. Mr. Chairman. America needs an energy policy that strengthens our national security. promotes long term economic growth and protects the environment. This is not that policy. I ask my colleagues to oppose this bill.