A PLAN FOR RELIEF
Gas in Texas has reached the $3.70 mark and is expected to continue to rise. For years, Republicans have brought forth commonsense, environmentally responsible energy policies that would provide our country with its own secure oil and gas supply, but those policies have been road blocked by Democrats in Congress, the Senate and the White House. Even now, as gas and diesel prices set record highs across the country, the Majority Leadership continually refuses to tackle this mounting problem.
The truth is simple-Congress must take action to encourage conservation and promote the research and innovation necessary to develop new energy sources and technologies. But while doing this, we must unlock new energy supplies here at home. This week Republicans in Congress unveiled an energy plan that will bring the much needed relief American families are anxious for by safely and responsibly increasing American supplies. These good reforms are the only way Americans are going to see lower prices at the pump.
I will work with my colleagues to deliver a plan that works with meaningful solutions that make our nation more energy dependent. Here is how we will do it:
First, we will increase the production of American-made energy in an environmentally-safe way by supporting actions that reduce America’s dependency 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. We will also 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, provide coal-to-liquid financing and tax incentives, and advance the commercialization of the nation’s two-trillion barrel 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.
Second, we will promote new, clean and reliable sources of energy. We will do this by encouraging more production of environmentally-safe energy to increase the use of our vast domestic supply, reduce emissions and keep coal-dependent communities strong. We will also 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. We must also allow immediate expensing for new renewable or zero emission power.
Next, we will cut the red tape and increase the supply of American-made fuel and energy. We will expedite permitting for enhanced oil recovery projects, including CO2 delivery and injection, as well as permitting for new refining capacity. We will improve environmental review and permitting to encourage the deployment of technologies which increase the efficiency of existing power plants, and we will end ill-advised policies that have led to the production of unique gasoline and diesel fuel formulations known as “boutique fuels,” which have fragmented our motor fuels distribution system and choked off supply.
Finally, this plan will encourage greater energy efficiency by offering conservation tax incentives. We will support technologies to help increase energy efficiency in all sectors of the American economy, including removing barriers that prevent businesses from upgrading their facilities with newer, more efficient energy. We will do this by making home energy efficiency upgrades tax deductible, 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, extending the fiber-optic distributed sunlight investment tax credit, and increasing the energy efficiency of government-owned buildings.
I am 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, American can and must produce more of our own energy and protect the environment at the same time. That is the change Americans deserve. I call on my Democratic colleagues to work with Republicans and pass these commonsense solutions.
May 30th, 2008 at 11:39 am
SECURE OUR BORDERS
and renew our energy independence.
GOP BRAND: Proudly Made in the USA!
A strong national economy accompanies renewal:
Drill and refine oil and produce jobs, jobs, jobs!
June 1st, 2008 at 7:21 pm
This is a very interesting read for sure. If you can effectively “cut the red tape” over time and open up the American conservation on energy, this country will be in a much better state.
June 10th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
We need to allow more drilling both off shore and on shore for Oil. Alternatives are good but can not help much in the short term as increasing the supply of domestic oil.
June 11th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Please, get together with our other Texas Reps and the 2 Texas Senators and get some legislation going to get past the ecological restrictions to get drilling in the US. It’s dispicable to know that China is now drilling 90 miles off the coast of Florida and we can’t?!
Energy costs are driving us to become a 2nd rate nation! We need to be able to produce our own energy.
June 12th, 2008 at 8:34 pm
Check out: http://www.telsamotors.com
This is they type of technology that will combat high gasoline prices, because it does not use gas.
June 18th, 2008 at 11:24 am
What is the matter with you people? The oil and gas are destroying our earth, no matter how high the prices get, what is our world worth?
Where are YOU going to live when the toxicity of the air is so bad that it eats into your skin?
What are you going to eat when the plants will not grow?
Can’t you see what is happening to our world?
Haven’t you seen the devastating floods, one of which is going on at this moment?
What has to hit you in the head to deny that the fossil fuels are destroying the earth???
I am amazed and dismayed at the attitude of people like you who think a person survives on a dollar. When is the last time you tried eating it for lunch, or breathing it for air?
We MUST turn away from gas and oil and for that matter coal and nuclear.
The oil companies are making BILLIONS of dollars PROFIT a week at our expense.
How about having THEM pay for an electric car in every garage, and solar, wind, power, hydro power, even geothermal power- for every roof or property.
WHEN are we going to wake up and realize that WE DO NOT NEED the oil and gas company.
Why do you think Saudi decided to up their production? They are afraid we will see we do not need it, and it is destroying our planet. It also finances the very people we are at war with and is, of itself, a “reason” if there is such a thing, for us to recklessly invade another country.
HOW CAN YOU BETRAY ALL OF HUMANITY BY VOTING FOR
MORE OIL EXPLOITATION?
Do not tell me that natural, free, renewable resources cannot fuel the country. It has already been proven to be a very, very doable thing. Without all the “sacrifices” or cutting the “standard of living” to tell the truth, if I could have solar panels, or an electric car I would grab it in a heartbeat.
But it is so expensive that I cannot afford the price. One of the reasons is the oil company that is reaping record profits off of me and every other person with a vehicle, or even without, on this earth. And poisoning us to boot.
Why not have them give out solar, wind, hydro etc. with their profits. and as an apology for everyone they are obviously ripping off, let them buy everyone who so desires the electric, hydro, bio, fuel cell, whichever environmentally friendly car they desire.
They have a car in France that runs on air. compressed air. .75 a fill-up - about 120 miles. Not near as bad as even one tank- or gallon- of gas.
Wake up America! We know how! We just must have the backbone to do it.
Vote AGANST Destroying our Earth!
June 18th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
How about some electric buses of the kind we had in the fifties that ran on electricity.
How about electifying the railroads?
June 18th, 2008 at 10:10 pm
A Democratic Presicent, Bill Clinton in 1996, vetoed legislation that would have given us less dependence on foreign oil. If the Democratic Congress continues to oppose development of our own oil reserves (larger, I believe, than those of Saudi Arabia) I sincerely hope the energy issue will eventually bring back a Republican Congress. We need to elect a Republican President as well.
June 25th, 2008 at 7:54 am
Offshore drilling is what we should be doing and have been doing for the past few years. We would never be in this mess - its when you rely on someone else that you end up getting screwed.
June 30th, 2008 at 11:59 am
We don’t need relief from gas prices. We need relief from our Federal Government and it’s interference in the free market and State’s rights (such as exploration and development of natural resources).
The statement relating to (We) the Federal Government “increasing production” falsley represents the function of the Government in the free market. Government produces nothing. Companies that are engaged in the market produce the products. Government produces nothing, and anything that it does offer is taken from someone else and given to another (or given back to you after the revenues are skimmed to make payroll or pay for junkets).
The government is not empowered to provide “relief at the pump”. I suggest that Congress concentrate on what it’s job is limited to, such as to provide a sound currency and other limited functions of the Government - refer to the Constitution.
The Federal Government would more effectively assist the free market by concentrating on the powers that it is Constitutionally limited to, rather than micromanaging the free market and subsidizing costly energy resources that only increase in cost by the citizen having to bear the burden of the cost of the administration to redistribute the labor of the citizen to the corporations in the energy market.
July 4th, 2008 at 3:15 am
Any relief for gas prices woudl only be temporary and does not solve the long term problem. Perhaps we are looking at this the wrong way. Perhaps policy makers from years ago did not do enough to research renewable enrgy sources and now we are all caught in a tough spot since it will take years to develop very efficient renewable fuel sources. The Toyota Prius is a good example, but it takes 1 year just to be able to buy one.