Energy

Energy continues to be a real concern to all Americans. Gas prices have begun rising again after a brief period where they had appeared to level out. Unfortunately there isn't a quick fix to this problem.

There are several steps however that we can begin taking now that will make a difference down the road. In order to lower energy prices, I believe we need to do the following:

Promote alternative energy sources such as ethanol and biodiesel. By reducing our dependence on oil in this manner, we will increase our energy supplies and lessen dependence on foreign oil sources.

Expand domestic oil production. The United States has domestic oil sources in the Gulf of Mexico and the Alaska National Wildlife Reserve (ANWR) that we currently aren't utilizing. By tapping into these existing sources in an environmentally responsible way, we will further increase the oil supply while lowering our dependence on foreign oil at the same time. I believe this could be done without significant impact on the environment which is of importance as well.

Increase U.S. refinery capacity. The United States hasn't built a new oil refinery in over 30 years. As a result, while we have adequate energy supplies, we lack the ability to process it at the same levels. That means it takes longer to get enough refined product on the market to satisfy customer demand, leading to higher fuel prices at the pump.

Current Legislation (Updated September 24, 2007)

H.R. 3059, To increase the corporate average fuel economy standards for automobiles: For several years Congress has discussed making changes to federal Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. As you may already know, CAFE standards are federally-mandated fuel economy averages that vehicle manufacturers must meet each model year. At this time, separate CAFE standards exist for passenger cars and light trucks, which include sport utility vehicles, vans, and pickup trucks. Efficiency requirements currently stand at a minimum of 27 miles per gallon (mpg) for cars and 24 mpg for light trucks.

Several bills have been introduced in the 110th Congress that would affect CAFE standards. Some legislation seeks to create a single standard for both cars and light trucks, while other bills propose separate, sensible increases for the two classes of vehicles. H.R. 3059 by Representative Joe Barton maintains separate minimums in order to prevent the cost of light trucks from rising in response to significant new restrictions. His proposal, H.R. 3059, would increase CAFE standards for cars to 35 mpg and light trucks to 27 mpg by 2022.

I understand there are some concerns that an increase in fuel economy standards could substantially affect the prices of new vehicles. I believe that H.R. 3059 sets an achievable goal for manufacturers while considerably improving fuel efficiency nationally. For this reason, I have signed on as a cosponsor of this bill.

H.R. 2492, The Motorist's Bill of Rights: Increasing Gas Supply, Reducing Demand, and Protecting Consumers from Gouging: I am an original co-sponsor of this legislation that was introduced in the House on May 24, 2007. This bill has four main components:

1) Protects Consumers from Gas Gouging – WITHOUT resorting to price controls
2) Increases Refinery Capacity – Increasing Supply will help lower prices
3) Educates Consumers About Efficient Gasoline Usage – Reducing Demand will help lower prices
4) Boutique Fuel Reduction – Reduces the likelihood of supply disruptions and price spikes

The bill has been referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on Armed Services for consideration.

H.R. 6, CLEAN Energy Act of 2007: This bill passed the House on January 18, 2007 with my support. The final vote was 264-163.

The purpose of the bill is to reduce our Nation's dependency on foreign oil by investing in clean, renewable, and alternative energy resources, promoting new emerging energy technologies, developing greater efficiency, and creating a Strategic Energy Efficiency and Renewables Reserve to invest in alternative energy.