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Washington, D.C., Dec 6, 2007 -  Congressman J. Randy Forbes (VA-04) released the following statement today after voting against the Senate Amendments to H.R. 6, a bill to overhaul the energy policies of the United States. The 1,055 page bill was considered less than 24 hours after the text became available last night.

“We need a new energy future in the United States. Our fuel consumption continues to rise, our electricity consumption continues to rise, and consumers across the country are paying more to fuel their cars and heat their homes. We need to enact a comprehensive energy plan that will provide both short- and long-term energy solutions that will set our country on a path towards an expansion of alternative energy, an increase in conservation, and a reduction of our dependence on foreign oil.

“Unfortunately, the energy legislation that we voted on in Congress today was not a responsible long-term plan. While there were parts of the bill that I could support, I believe the bill as a whole would have done more harm than good to our country by imposing unrealistic mandates on states and ultimately increasing the cost of energy for Americans.

“In particular, I share the concerns of the Commonwealth that a federally-mandated renewable portfolio standard (RPS) will place undue and unrealistic burdens on our state given its natural resources. We have received estimates that a federal RPS would cost Virginia alone up to $1.1 billion by 2030. The Commonwealth has already set a state RPS goal, as have many states around the country. We need to develop an RPS plan that is both market-based and takes into account the resources of each individual state.

“Although I could not support this bill overall, I am pleased that Congress is discussing the issue of increasing fuel efficiency requirements for automobiles, or corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards, which have not been increased since the 1970s. I have cosponsored a stand-alone CAFE standard bill to move forward on this issue. I also strongly support increased incentives and solutions that would increase conservation in the United States, the development of alternative fuels, and an increase in our refinery capacity. We also need to look at nuclear energy and devote significant resources to developing cutting-edge ways to meet our energy needs while not unduly harming our environment or our economy.

“This bill was not the solution this country needs and not the solution that would benefit Virginia. I am hopeful that in the coming weeks and months, Congress can move forward with a bipartisan energy policy.”

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