Energy

I am confident that American ingenuity can once again succeed and help lead us to a better, cheaper, renewable and more secure energy future.
- Congressman C. A. Dutch Ruppersberger

Congressman Ruppersberger supports real and practical alternative energy sources to make the United States independent from unstable foreign oil nations. He:

  • Supports nuclear power, alternative sources and flex fuels and believes we must have all sources and technologies on the table to quickly move away from foreign oil.
  • Supports requiring oil companies to drill on their leases or surrender their rights to federal oil leases to companies that will help Americans struggling with gas prices.
  • Believes drilling in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge would damage critical environmental assets while failing to make a dent in our oil deficit.

Congressman Ruppersberger supports practical measures to help consumers cut their energy costs. He:

  • Supported the “Home Star Jobs” bill to provide incentives for consumers to make their homes energy-efficient, creating 168,000 jobs, cutting energy bills and reducing our dependence on foreign oil.
  • Helped pass legislation to expand the tax credit for the purchase of energy-efficient home improvements such as air-tight windows.
  • Helped pass the innovative “Cash for Clunkers” program to provide motorists with a cash incentive to replace their older vehicles with newer, more fuel-efficient models.
  • Drafted his own legislation to extend and expand a tax credit for consumers who purchase a hybrid vehicle.


Congressman Ruppersberger supported landmark legislation to limit greenhouse gas emissions, free us from foreign oil dependence and create American jobs in a clean energy industry without increasing the federal deficit. The bill:

  • Reduces carbon emissions from major U.S. sources by 17% by 2020 and more than 80% by 2050 compared to 2005 levels.
  • Boosts America’s oil reduction by 5 million barrels a day in 2030 – equal to all of the oil we currently import from the Middle East and Venezuela.
  • Invests $190 billion in clean energy technology and energy efficiency.