Legislation

Energy

Texas families, small businesses, airlines, schools, and law enforcement officials are being hammered by volatile fuel prices. Yet, the solution to our energy problems is straightforward – America needs to find more sources of energy and use less of it.

Unfortunately, this Congress has focused on gimmicks aimed at scoring political points instead real solutions: suing OPEC, mandating longer lasting light bulbs, windfall profits taxes and punishing American companies for producing energy and jobs here at home. They’ve passed sham bills that prevent companies from leasing new federal lands, and coastal states from sharing in revenue generated from off-shore oil exploration. Enough is enough.

No More Games, More American-made Energy

In May of 2008, I and other colleagues introduced legislation with a common-sense solution: More American-made energy to lower prices. Our goal is simple. America needs to take responsibility for producing 2/3rds of the energy we need each day, ending our dependence on foreign oil. Because Washington has failed to act, today we rely on foreign nations for over 60% of our daily needs and we grow dangerously more dependent each year. That’s a costly mistake, today and for the future.

This bill, H.R. 6566, the American Energy Act, takes the first step in ending our reliance on foreign oil by producing more energy here at home and creating new jobs. It would support development of:

Traditional forms of energy. We need to unlock the vast resources of America’s deep oceans, the U.S. arctic reserve and oil shale of the Midwest and Rocky Mountains. By exploring more, we could displace all the oil we currently import from unstable and unfriendly nations. It is estimated that our own resources could provide:

Oceans: 3 million barrels of oil per day
Arctic: 1 million barrels of oil per day
Oil shale: 2.5 million barrels of oil per day

I was pleased that both Congress and the President lifted the long-standing moratorium this year on exploring for more energy off our coastlines. However, this is just the first step. I am continually exploring ways to unlock our domestic energy supplies while respecting the needs of our environment. We must eliminate overly burdensome laws and regulations that stand in the ways of our country’s energy independence.

Clean technology. America has vast resources of affordable coal, but it’s dirty. Fortunately, technologies exist that can take coal and turn it into super clean liquid fuel for our gas tanks; we just need to help it along. The American Energy Act does just that.

Our bill would double the U.S. nuclear energy supply by investing in the industry and enacting modern safety features – all with zero air emissions.

And I support tax incentives to spur development of solar, wind and bio-fuels. All of these tax credits were extended in legislation Congress passed this year, through H.R. 1424.

I’ve also supported another bill, H.R. 2784, the National Environment and Energy Act, which would create research opportunities for clean, renewable fossil fuel technologies.

Conservation. We all can do our part by using less energy and conserving more. This bill offers tax breaks for businesses and families that purchase more fuel efficient cars and trucks and for businesses that improve energy efficiency.

Top Issues Economic Recovery Energy Spending Reform Your Taxes Health Care Social Security Trade Border Security Big Thicket National Preserve	Energy Texas families, small businesses, airlines, schools, and law enforcement officials are being hammered by volatile fuel prices. Yet, the solution to our energy problems is straightforward – America needs to find more sources of energy and use less of it. Unfortunately, this Congress has focused on gimmicks aimed at scoring political points instead real solutions: suing OPEC, mandating longer lasting light bulbs, windfall profits taxes and punishing American companies for producing energy and jobs here at home. They’ve passed sham bills that prevent companies from leasing new federal lands, and coastal states from sharing in revenue generated from off-shore oil exploration. Enough is enough. No More Games, More American-made Energy In May of 2008, I and other colleagues introduced legislation with a common-sense solution: More American-made energy to lower prices. Our goal is simple. America needs to take responsibility for producing 2/3rds of the energy we need each day, ending our dependence on foreign oil. Because Washington has failed to act, today we rely on foreign nations for over 60% of our daily needs and we grow dangerously more dependent each year. That’s a costly mistake, today and for the future. This bill, H.R. 6566, the American Energy Act, takes the first step in ending our reliance on foreign oil by producing more energy here at home and creating new jobs. It would support development of: Traditional forms of energy. We need to unlock the vast resources of America’s deep oceans, the U.S. arctic reserve and oil shale of the Midwest and Rocky Mountains. By exploring more, we could displace all the oil we currently import from unstable and unfriendly nations. It is estimated that our own resources could provide: Oceans: 3 million barrels of oil per day Arctic: 1 million barrels of oil per day Oil shale: 2.5 million barrels of oil per day I was pleased that both Congress and the President lifted the long-standing moratorium this year on exploring for more energy off our coastlines. However, this is just the first step. I am continually exploring ways to unlock our domestic energy supplies while respecting the needs of our environment. We must eliminate overly burdensome laws and regulations that stand in the ways of our country’s energy independence. Clean technology. America has vast resources of affordable coal, but it’s dirty. Fortunately, technologies exist that can take coal and turn it into super clean liquid fuel for our gas tanks; we just need to help it along. The American Energy Act does just that. Our bill would double the U.S. nuclear energy supply by investing in the industry and enacting modern safety features – all with zero air emissions. And I support tax incentives to spur development of solar, wind and bio-fuels. All of these tax credits were extended in legislation Congress passed this year, through H.R. 1424. I’ve also supported another bill, H.R. 2784, the National Environment and Energy Act, which would create research opportunities for clean, renewable fossil fuel technologies. Conservation. We all can do our part by using less energy and conserving more. This bill offers tax breaks for businesses and families that purchase more fuel efficient cars and trucks and for businesses that improve energy efficiency.
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