Good morning.  Thank you for joining us. For years, America has needed a cleaner, cheaper, and safer energy policy. Last month, the Democratic-led Congress answered the call by passing the historic Energy Independence and Security Act. This is not a small step forward – it’s a huge leap.

No energy legislation has ever done more for America’s security by saving oil, saving consumers money and curbing global warming pollution. This legislation represents a historic shift on energy policy.

For too long, Washington has dragged its feet on energy.  It denied the problem.  It tried to dig and drill our way to energy independence.  It let oil companies call the shots.

The 110th Congress is taking America in a new direction. For the first time, our energy plan is about conservation.  It’s about reducing our dependence on dirty, expensive and dangerous fossil fuels. Relying instead on clean, renewable resources here in the U.S. – on American ingenuity, and our entrepreneurial, can-do spirit.

Among other things, this legislation takes groundbreaking steps to increase the efficiency of our vehicles. It does this by raising fuel economy standards to 35 miles per gallon by 2020 for new cars and trucks – for the first time since 1975. This provision alone will save American families up to $1,000 per year at the pump.

It will reduce oil consumption by 1 million gallons per day – one-half of what we currently import from the Persian Gulf. And, it will prevent over 190 million tons of global warming emissions.

In addition, the bill includes valuable energy efficiency measures for buildings, lighting and appliances to cut oil dependence and save consumers money. It also boosts the production of American-grown biofuels, like cellulosic ethanol and provides incentives to increase the number of Flex Fuel and other alternative vehicles, such as plug-in hybrids.

And finally the bill establishes a grant program to help local governments develop and implement energy efficiency strategies.  Local programs here in Santa Barbara are already having a positive impact in addressing our energy challenges.  And this bill will help support and expand on those local efforts.

As I stand here today, it’s hard for me not to recall the 1969 oil spill off our coast. I remember vividly the crude oil bubbling to the surface, marring miles of our coastline and killing marine wildlife. At the time, President Nixon said the incident “touched the conscience of the American people.”

The following spring, Earth Day was born nationwide. And the publicity surrounding the spill was a major impetus to Congress passing major environmental protection laws, like the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts. Now we can add the Energy Independence and Security Act to this impressive list.

For the first time in a generation, this legislation focuses America’s energy policy on innovation and clean energy technology. This change puts America on a path to solving global warming, creating jobs, and stimulating economic growth through new ways of thinking.

As Congress continues on this journey, I’ll be supporting the necessary next steps, such as enacting a national Renewable Electricity Standard; permanent tax credits for wind, solar and other clean technologies; and global warming legislation that preserves existing state authority to regulate global warming pollution.

Let me close by saying that throughout history, America has demonstrated itself a leader. My hope is that with this legislation we can once again step up to the plate and touch the “conscience of the American people.”

Those of us up here are ready to take on the energy and environmental challenges facing our country and the planet. And together we’ll make America more competitive, less dependent on oil, and better prepared to combat global warming. Thank you again for joining us.

Pictured above: (center) Congresswoman Capps meets with Central Coast firefighters to discuss emergency preparedness.