Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007

ENERGY INDEPENDENCE AND SECURITY ACT OF 2007 -- (House of Representatives - December 06, 2007)

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Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, this is a very important day for our country, a day in which this Congress can declare itself a Congress for the future, a Congress for America's children.

Earlier today, some of you saw me reference this baseball signed by Bobby Thomson: ``The shot heard round the world,'' October 3, 1951, a historic day in baseball. When he signed this baseball, he referenced a phrase used by Ralph Waldo Emerson referencing the shot fired at Concord, which began the Revolutionary War, the fight for American independence. If Bobby Thomson could reference a shot heard round the world, we should indeed be able to do it today. This vote on this legislation will be a shot heard round the world for energy independence for America.

I want to thank some of the people who made this possible. As many of you know, at the beginning of this Congress, our Chairs of the appropriate committees were tasked to prepare legislation to be ready to be introduced by the Fourth of July, our Independence Day. They did so, and on June 30, in preparation for the Fourth of July weekend, we introduced our legislation.

I want to begin by thanking Mr. Dingell for his exceptional leadership as Chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee. This bill is about America's national security. Mr. Dingell has always been about that. He has dedicated his life, starting in World War II, in his public service for our country. Thank you, Mr. Dingell.

Another great veteran in this arena, Mr. Rangel, a veteran of the Korean War, was an important part of this legislation with the pay-fors from the Ways and Means Committee. Thank you, Mr. Rangel.

Earlier you heard from Mr. Oberstar and the important work he is doing with the greening of America's Federal buildings and many other resources. Thank you, Mr. Oberstar. Mr. Waxman of Oversight and Government reform; Mr. Miller of Education and Labor, where we are having our green jobs initiative; Mr. Rahall from Natural Resources, making an important contribution to this legislation; Mr. Lantos from Foreign Affairs; Mr. Gordon from Science, the Science and Technology Committee has been central to this legislation; Mr. Peterson from the Agriculture Committee. America's farmers will fuel America's independence. We will send our energy dollars to the Midwest, not the Middle East. Congresswoman Velázquez from Small Business, where small businesses will be the incubator of this new economy. Thank you, Chairwoman Velázquez. And Congressman Markey of the Select Committee, thank you also for your tremendous leadership for over 30 years on this issue.

I mention all of my colleagues, these chairmen, not only to salute them, but to say they started a process over a series of months where practically every member of these 11 committees of Congress had an opportunity, Democrats and Republicans alike, to weigh in on the initial legislation, which was introduced in time for the Fourth of July, as promised, and which was passed by this Congress in the first week of August; and it is the follow-up on that legislation that we are voting on today.

It is a part of our first 100 hours. As we near the end of this session of Congress, we can harken back to that first 100 hours, our Six for '06. Our first piece of legislation was about how we protect America, passing the 9/11 Commission recommendations. I am so pleased that that was passed with strong bipartisan support in this House and was signed by the President.

The minimum wage was passed with strong bipartisan support in this House of Representatives and was signed by the President.

Making college affordable, the biggest package for college affordability since the GI Bill of Rights in 1944, passed by the Congress, signed into law by the President.

The biggest legislation for ethics reform in the history of the Congress, bipartisan majority, strong overwhelming support, and signed into law.

In the course of time, passing Mr. Gordon's bill, our commitment to competitiveness to keep America number one, the Innovation Agenda, the COMPETES Act, overwhelming majority, bipartisan majority, signed into law by the President.

I mention all of these because they have bearing on what we are doing today. It is about our national security, it is about jobs and the economic security of our country. It is about the environment, and therefore it is a health issue. It is a moral issue. With all that I have said, that is why we have scientists and evangelicals, we have business and labor, we have the environmental community, all strongly supporting this legislation.

And here are some of the reasons why. I will give you their words. Over 20 generals have signed a letter saying that we have to move in this direction in terms of reversing global warming. But, very specifically, the other day we heard from Admiral Denny McGinn, and he said this: ``Our dependence on foreign oil is a clear and present danger to Americans. Your vote for tough fuel economy standards is a vote for increasing our safety and our well-being.'' This is a national security issue.

It is an issue that relates to our environment and therefore the health of our children. That is why the Pew Charitable Trusts for Fuel Efficiency wrote: ``If the House and Senate finally approve this and the President signs it, they will have done more for consumers at the pump than any Congress or administration since the 1970s.'' They were referencing also the fact that the consumers will save $700 to $1,000 as a result of this bill, per year. And over a period of time until 2020, they will save $22 billion. That is why the Consumer Federation of America is supporting this bill. It is about American jobs.

The president of the Alliance of American Automobile Manufacturers wrote: ``We believe this tough, national fuel economy bill will be good for both consumers and energy security. We support its passage.''

I could submit for the record a long list of representatives of the business and labor community who are supporting this legislation.

And labor, the legislative director of the UAW, Alan Reuther, says: ``We believe that this historic measure will provide substantial energy security and environmental benefits for our Nation while protecting and expanding jobs for our workers.''

The list goes on. National security, jobs, the environment, the health of our children, and the future of this planet, as well as the consumer benefits. It is, again, a historic day because it has been so long since we have come to the place where we are, as has been said, over 30 years since we have addressed this issue in this substantial way in the Congress of the United States.

The point of this is, are we about the past or are we about the future? I hope that we can have strong bipartisan support for this legislation. We were able to accomplish in this 12-month period, as Mr. Emanuel said, in this 12-month period, what was not done in 32 years in the Congress of the United States.

So, my friends, I ask you to think about this vote and take great pride when you cast a ``yes'' vote. Many of you are far away from your legacy, but when that day comes, I hope you will consider this day a part of that legacy when you made history in this Congress of the United States. And not only did you make history; you made progress for the American people. They are watching to see what we do. This legislation is as immediate to them as the price at the pump that they face when they fill up their tanks. It is as immediate to them as heating their homes. It is as global as preserving this planet.

If you believe, as do I, and I think all of us do, that this is God's creation and we have a moral responsibility to preserve it, that is why we have strong support from the religious community, including the evangelical community, then I hope you will take this act of faith today to make history and to make progress for the American people, especially to declare this the Children's Congress.

Thank you, my colleagues. I urge a ``yes'' vote.

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