Washington, D.C.-- Governor Paterson gave a forward looking speech on the state of New York, one which tells of the problems we face while advocating solutions to help New York to grow again and maintain its leadership role in the United States.

His forward looking plan dovetails with my legislation, the Open Fuel Standards Act, to require that 80 percent of new cars sold in the United States by 2015 are flex fuel vehicles able to run on any combination of ethanol, methanol, or gasoline.

I was especially impressed by his energy program which set the year 2015 as a deadline for the state to derive 45 percent of its energy through clean, renewable sources while reducing energy use throughout the state by 15 percent.

I also praise his plan to establish an upstate research consortium to manufacture hybrid electric batteries, a key component of the plug-in electric vehicle.

I am also working in Congress on a plan to put 1 million Plug-In Hybrid cars – cars that can get up to 150 miles per gallon – on the road by 2015, cars that we will work to make sure are built here in America.

Working together on the state and federal level we can take these giant steps to get America off foreign oil and achieve our energy independence.