Representative Peter Welch
U.S. House of Representatives

Statement from Rep. Welch

Clean Energy Act of 2007

January 18, 2007 -- "Record profits, quarter after quarter, and yet taxpayers continue to fund handouts for the world’s largest oil companies.

"We have scientific consensus and yet our country forges ahead with blinders on to the crisis of climate change.

"And on the most basic level, the budgets of our seniors, schools, farms and families are strained by high energy prices and inefficient technologies.

"Our country is long over-due for an energy policy that shifts our reliance from fossil fuels to the development of alternative energy.  It is time to focus our energy policy on the goal of energy independence.

"This legislation is the very first step for setting us on this common sense course.

"Not only must we aggressively pursue a new energy strategy, but I strongly believe that addressing this challenge presents our country with enormous opportunities: to improve efficiency, create good jobs, clean our air, and make us more competitive and secure in the world.  It's time to act.  American ingenuity combined with our political leadership can help us meet the challenges we face as we move to a more sustainable energy future."