Washington, D.C. – Congressman Keith Ellison (D-Minneapolis) today praised the passage of landmark legislation known as The Energy Independence and Security Act (HR 6).

"Since coming to Congress, one of my top legislative priorities has been American energy independence and environmental sustainability. This historic bill makes great strides in achieving both," Ellison said.

H.R. 6 takes major steps to increase the efficiency of vehicles, making a historic commitment to American grown bio-fuels, requiring that 15 percent of our electricity come from renewable resources and strengthening energy efficiency for a wide range of consumer products.

"With the passage of this bill, the new Democratic Congress will start America on a path toward energy security. No longer should we be held hostage by the price of foreign oil," the 5th District Congressman stated.

The bill increases fuel economy standard to 35 miles per gallon by 2020 for new cars and trucks, which in turn will reduce American oil consumption by 1.1 million gallons per day by 2020, and save American families $700 to $1,000 per year at the pump. This is the first time that these fuel economy standards have been raised since 1975.

H.R. 6 makes a historic commitment to American bio-fuels that will fuel our cars and trucks – with a robust increase in the Renewable Fuels Standard. This will diversify America’s energy crops from coast to coast. The bill includes critical environmental safeguards to ensure that the growth of homegrown fuels helps to reduce carbon emissions and does not degrade water or air quality or harm our lands and public health. It establishes a plug-in hybrid/electric vehicle tax credit for individuals and encourages the domestic development and production of advanced technology vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles.

The bill requires utility companies to generate 15 percent of electricity from renewable sources -- such as wind power, biomass, and wave, tidal, geothermal and solar -- by 2020. "The bill puts America in step with states such as Minnesota, which already require companies to generate 25 percent of electricity from renewable sources by 2025," Ellison said.

The Democratic Energy bill will also put Americans to work by creating millions of "green collar" jobs over the next ten years. It does so by creating an Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Worker Training Program to train a quality green workforce. The bill will spur growth in American small business by increasing loan limits to help small businesses develop energy efficient technologies and purchases and increases investment in small firms developing renewable energy solutions.

"I am especially pleased that we have removed the billions of dollars of tax subsidies for Big Oil companies," Ellison stated. "At the same time we have strengthened and extended existing renewable energy tax credits, including solar, wind, biomass, geothermal, hydro, landfill gas and trash combustion, while creating new incentives for the use and production of renewable energy."

"Rarely do we have the opportunity to change the breadth and vision of industry policy as we have with the Energy Independence and Security Act. The landmark fuel efficiency standard, renewable electricity standard and energy efficiency provisions will not only save consumers and businesses money, but will also significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions- helping America reduce greenhouse pollution by 80% by 2050. America breathes cleaner today because of our action," Ellison concluded.