WILL WORK WITH SENATE COUNTERPARTS ON FINAL VERSION OF ENERGY LEGISLATION

Washington, Jul 14, 2005 - The Speaker of the House today named Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL) as one of the House members to go to the House and Senate conference on vital energy legislation. "Oil prices are at record levels and our nation's dependence on imports is growing - we need a comprehensive national energy policy," said Stearns, "I appreciate this opportunity to develop final legislation that increases domestic production of energy, creates new jobs, reduces our dependency on imports, expands the used of alternative fuels, and improves energy efficiency while safeguarding our environment."

The House and Senate have approved different versions of energy legislation, and the conference will produce a final version for the House and Senate to consider. In April, the House approved H.R. 6, the Energy Policy Act. H.R. 6:

* Addresses rising gasoline prices by encouraging more domestic production of oil with incentives such as a streamlined permit process; promotes a greater refining capacity to bring more oil to market; and increases the gasoline supply by stopping the proliferation of expensive regional boutique fuels (varying regional air-quality standards require different formulations of gasoline).

* Reduces our dangerous dependence on imported oil by expanding domestic oil and gas development, including opening a small portion of the Artic National Wildlife Refuge, and authorizes the expansion of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to 1 billion barrels.

* Promotes clean and renewable fuels by providing incentives for clean coal technology and renewable energies such as biomass, wind, solar, and hydroelectricity.

* Requires greater energy conservation by establishing new mandatory efficiency requirements for federal buildings, and efficiency standards and product labeling for battery chargers, commercial refrigerators, freezers, unit heaters, and other household products.

Added Stearns, "Currently, the U.S. imports about 60 percent of its oil, much of it from the Middle East. The Department of Energy projects this number will increase to 73 percent by the year 2025. It is vital that we reduce this dependency on foreign suppliers. In addition, we need a bill that encourages new technologies to reduce the demand for oil, such as vehicles power by hydrogen fuel cells."