For the past several months, Congresswoman Sue Kelly has been pushing for passage of the Fuel Choices for American Security Act that she co-introduced in Congress last year.

 

The fuel choices legislation, sponsored by both Democrats and Republicans, would increase energy conservation efforts, develop new fuel options, and dramatically reduce U.S. dependence on foreign sources of oil.

 

"As long as U.S. dependence on foreign oil continues to increase, gas prices will continue to increase as well," Kelly said. "With the higher gas prices and energy costs that we’re experiencing right now, we must increase the urgency of achieving U.S. fuel independence from foreign sources of oil."

 

The Fuel Choices for American Security Act initiates a plan to achieve U.S. oil savings of 2.5 million barrels per day by 2015, which is the amount of oil the U.S. currently imports from the Middle East each day.

 

The bipartisan plan is committed to developing alternative energy sources and renewable fuels. It would create better market incentives to use the resources and technology already available within the U.S. to develop new fuel choices and bring them to consumers faster.

 

"Congress needs to pass our legislation and work faster to develop new fuel choices, achieve oil savings, and bring down gas prices," Kelly said.

 

"The increased production and usage of renewable fuels and alternative energy sources stipulated in our fuel choices legislation is a positive step forward for U.S. energy policy."

 

Kelly voted against the Energy Bill that Congress passed and President Bush signed into law last year. She cited unnecessary tax breaks for oil companies as one of the reasons for her "no" vote.

 

Gas prices and other energy costs have only increased since the passage of the Energy Bill, noted Kelly. She is pushing the Fuel Choices for American Security Act as a more effective and consumer-friendly alternative to the Energy Bill.

 

"Unlike the Energy Bill, our fuel choices bill puts the consumer first," Kelly said.