Washington, D.C.-- Congressman Eliot Engel was named this week to the influential House Energy and Commerce’s Subcommittee on Energy and the Environment for the 111th Congress. He remains a member of the prestigious Health Subcommittee.

“The Subcommittee on Energy and the Environment will oversee climate, energy, air quality, and water issues. It will have an ambitious agenda that includes addressing climate change and developing a new energy policy aimed at renewable energy sources, including wind, solar and biomass sources of power.” said Rep. Engel, the founder and Co-Chair of the House Oil and National Security Caucus.

“My position on this subcommittee enables me to work effectively to encourage an era of clean energy, create good-paying green jobs, and eliminate our nation’s dependence on foreign oil,” said Rep. Engel. “In addition, we face great challenges in the Health Subcommittee as we look to make changes to our broken health care system.”

Among other things, Rep. Engel plans on re-introducing parts of his highly successful and bi-partisan DRIVE Act, including the Open Fuel Standards Act. The Open Fuel Standards Act would require that 50% of new cars sold in the United States by 2012, and 80% by 2015, are flex fuel vehicles – meaning that they are able to run on any combination of ethanol, methanol, or gasoline. Due to other business facing the previous Congress, no vote was held on this legislation and it was not considered before the close of the 110th Congress.

Rep Engel will also work toward passage of an Oil Savings Plan, which was also included in the DRIVE Act, directing the federal government to develop and implement a plan to reduce U.S. oil dependence by mandating an oil savings of 2.5 millions of barrels of oil per day within ten years, and increasing significantly by 2025. Rep. Engel will also be re-introducing the Greenhouse Gas Accountability Act to provide a look at the nation’s greenhouse gas footprint. It would create a complete inventory of emissions and help determine the most economic plan to reduce our emissions.

Congressman Engel has been a leader in promoting access to quality, affordable healthcare in our nation. He has co-sponsored legislation to provide coverage for our nation's 47 million uninsured Americans through an expansion of Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP (State Children's Health Insurance Program). Engel is currently working to provide increased aid to New York's Medicaid program in the upcoming economic stimulus bill. This year, Engel will continue to work on his long term goal of providing comprehensive health care to all Americans through the adoption of a universal health care system.

“I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in addressing these serious issues in the coming months. Together we can find solutions that will enable us to solve these problems once and for all,” added Rep. Engel.