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House Democrats’ New Energy Plan
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House Republicans’ “All of the Above” Energy Strategy
H.R. 6566, The American Energy Act |
Real Offshore Energy Exploration: | Saying the Democrat plan calls for “limited offshore drilling” would be generous. The Democrat energy plan permanently locks up vast amounts of America’s oil and natural gas resources. | The American Energy Act opens our deep water ocean resources, which will provide an additional three million barrels of oil per day, as well as 76 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. |
Giving States an Economic Incentive to Explore Offshore: | The Democrat plan does not allow coastal states to share in the revenue generated from exploration.This is a bait-and-switch: Democrats know that states will have no incentive to opt-in if they don't get to participate in the revenues. | The American Energy Act provides for a real federal-state partnership. Revenues from both existing and new Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) leases would be shared. |
Promoting Renewables Through Offshore Exploration Revenues: | The Democrat energy plan funds investment in renewable energy at the expense of American taxpayers. | The American Energy Act establishes a renewable trust fund using revenues generated by exploration in the deep ocean and on the Arctic coastal plain, not at the expense of the American taxpayer. |
Exploring for American Energy on the Arctic Coastal Plain in Environmentally Sound Ways: | The Democrat plan includes no environmentally responsible exploration on the Arctic coastal plain in Alaska. The Interior Department estimates the 1002 area contains 10.4 billion barrels of oil. | The American Energy Act opens the Arctic coastal plain, which will provide an additional one million barrels of oil per day. |
Exploring for Oil Shale In Environmentally Sound Ways:
| The Democrat plan includes no exploration for oil shale in the American West. The Department of Energy estimates that 2 trillion barrels of oil shale exists within the United States, yet the Democrat plan refuses to take advantage of it. | The American Energy Act allows development of our nation’s shale oil resources, which could provide an additional 2.5 million barrels of oil per day. |
Expansion of Emission-Free Nuclear Power: | The Democrat plan includes no expansion of emission-free nuclear power. France relies on nuclear for nearly 80 percent of its electricity needs. The United States, only 20 percent. | The American Energy Act eliminates barriers to the expansion of emission-free nuclear power production. |
Developing Clean Coal Technologies: | The Democrat plan includes no development of advanced clean coal and coal-to-liquid technologies and resources. In addition, the “Section 526” prohibition on government contracting for alternative fuels such as coal-to-liquids is not repealed. | The American Energy Act spurs the development of alternative fuels through government contracting by repealing the “Section 526” prohibition on government purchasing of alternative energy and promoting coal-to-liquids technology. |
Eliminating Red Tape to Increase American Refinery Capacity: | No new refineries. The Democrat plan contains no provisions to cut red tape and increase American refining capacity. The Democrat plan includes no lawsuit reform to prevent frivolous lawsuits from radical interest groups intent on stopping the environmentally sound exploration of American energy solely for political purposes. | The American Energy Act increases the supply of gas at the pump by cutting bureaucratic red tape that essentially blocks the construction of new refineries. |
No Energy Tax Hikes and Electricity Price Spikes for Consumers: | An $85 billion tax hike on motorists and consumers. Speaker Pelosi intends to adopt large provisions of a Senate proposal, which includes “an $85 billion tax increase disguised as an energy bill.” (Human Events, 8/12/08) The Democrat plan includes a “renewable electricity standard.” Yet even House Democrats say a federally-mandated, one-size-fits-all “renewable electricity standard” will punish consumers and hike electricity prices, particularly in the South and Midwest. Why? Because not every state in the country has wind current and other renewable energy resourcesnecessary to meet such a standard. | The American Energy Act does not raise taxes on American families.
The American Energy Act does not impose a price-spiking, government-mandated electricity standard. |
Playing Politics with Our Energy Crisis: | All politics, no action on energy. It's abundantly clear that the Democratbill is just cynical political cover – cobbled together behind closed doors without any input from House Republicans – that has zero chance of becoming law. · CQ: “Democrats appear to be aiming to bring their bill up for a vote in order to say they’ve held a vote on drilling, and then slamming Republicans who vote against it.” (9/8/08) | The American Energy Act was first proposed in July 2008, and since then, one poll after another has shown the American people support its “all of the above” approach.
After the Democratic Congress skipped town for a five-week vacation, House Republicans spent every working day of the month of August calling on Speaker Pelosi to bring the House back into session and hold an up-or-down vote on the American Energy Act. |
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