Energy for the Future

It is important that we look towards new sources of cleaner and renewable energy, rather than the fossil fuels that we have depended on over the past centuries. I have and will continue to encourage the use and development of more efficient technology. For example, I have supported responsible funding increases for the Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star program. The Energy Star program has a cost-effective, proven track record of saving energy and money. I have also supported investments in the development of alternative fuel sources and biofuel technology.

Investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy are particularly effective strategies for lowering energy costs. A mix of sustainable energy technologies offers one of the most cost-effective options for reducing the export of U.S. dollars to pay for burgeoning oil and natural gas imports. Renewable energy technologies also have the unique potential to tap domestic resources and create new sources of energy like solar and wind power. These new sources of energy, once thought to be hopelessly impractical, are within cents of being cost-competitive.

There is still much more to be done to make America energy independent, and I am committed to progress on this issue.