Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Rep. Phil English (R-Pa.) joined a group of moderate House Republicans at a press event in the U.S Capitol to highlight the need for a balanced, ‘commonsense’ approach to a comprehensive energy strategy.  The lawmakers discussed their plans to reign in prices at the pump in the short-term and establish a long-term plan to transition from a fossil fuel economy to one based on renewable and alternative energy sources.

“With gasoline prices now hovering around $4 per gallon and still climbing, the driving public can no longer be forced to foot the bill and bear an outrageous financial burden because Congress has failed to advance a comprehensive energy plan,” said English, a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee.  “The time has come for an energy policy in this country that encourages more diversified and environmentally friendly energy sources to be brought to market to ensure a secure and sustainable energy supply here at home.”

Earlier this Congress the Select Revenue Measures Subcommittee, on which English serves as Ranking Member, conducted an extensive series of hearings on energy tax policy.  Although the hearing yielded a variety of viable policy initiatives that attracted bipartisan support, to date the U.S. Congress has still failed to advance a comprehensive energy plan. During the press event, English, who has been a vocal advocate of a strong and effective energy policy, noted that the current economic downturn coupled with volatile energy prices is driving a deeper dent in the pocketbooks of millions of working families.

“Over the past year, gasoline prices have skyrocketed by more than $1 per gallon,” English said. “American working families are already feeling the financial crunch of the slowing economy, it is absurd for them to have to battle continued unstable price hikes at the pump.”

Select Revenue Measures hearings English’s Subcommittee’s hearing on energy tax helped develop and reinforced the need for H.R. 2652, the Generating Renewable Energy and Encouraging Novel (GREEN) Technologies Act, English’s comprehensive legislation to enhance energy efficiency, improve the delivery and conservation of energy resources and increase America’s energy independence.
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“This legislation has bipartisan support and creates the opportunity to make our economy competitive, create more jobs and, at the same time, benefit American consumers,” English continued.

The GREEN Technologies Act includes a number of provisions to foster environmentally-sound development and use of energy sources.  It promotes clean coal technology and incentives for renewable and eternal sources of energy such as wind, biofuel, ethanol and solar.  In addition, a number of tax incentives are included in the measure to further stimulate the economy, create jobs and better meet consumer needs. 

“By using the tax code to promote energy diversification we can lower energy prices for Americans across the country and help community businesses make the transition to cleaner production,” English said.  “Although this innovative approach will serve as a good foundation for our country’s long-term energy needs, Congress must work to address our short-term needs and advance polices that will leverage market forces and increase supply.”

This month English announced, H.R. 6009, the Affordable Fuel for Consumers Act, legislation to leverage market forces to bring greater efficiency and capacity to domestic refineries, bring new sources of domestic energy to the market, and through these changes to increase supply and reduce prices.  In addition, the bill calls on the Bush Administration to heed the instructions of Congress in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and halt oil diversions to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to keep a larger quantity of oil for refining capacity now.  The bill also limits the number of “boutique fuels” refineries must produce to meet regional clean air standards, rolls back the 18.4 cent federal excise tax on gasoline for 60 days and provides short-term tax incentives to construct new gasoline refining capacity in order to relieve tight gasoline supplies.

“As important as energy diversification is, Congress must also recognize the urgency of taming traditional energy prices in the short-term as we transition to using more renewable and eternal sources,” English said.  “This legislation will open the dialogue and strengthen the debate as we work to establish a bipartisan basis to put in place new incentives that bring more affordable and diverse energy into the marketplace and make the growth in our economy greener.”

English has been a strong advocate of a comprehensive energy plan to help stem high energy costs and promote increases in domestic supplies. He has also voted to raise mandatory fuel efficiency standards for cars and trucks, supported the establishment of a federal ban on gasoline price gouging and has been a long time champion of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Act Program (LIHEAP). 

“At a time when the American economy is reeling from unstable energy costs, we ought to be able to advance a bipartisan energy agenda that will encourage conservation, increase the use of renewable energy and further develop new technologies to create a more sustainable energy supply,” English concluded. “This is no longer an issue that can be punted to the next Congress.”

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