Issue Position: Energy

Issue Position

Issue Position: Energy

The soaring price of gasoline, home heating oil, and natural gas has placed a heavy burden on the shoulders of working families. Senator Reed has sought to protect consumers by decreasing our nation's energy dependence on foreign oil, supporting energy efficiency and renewable energy initiatives, and improving access to alternative fuels while rejecting giveaways to big energy companies. Reed cosponsored a bill to gradually increase fuel efficiency standards for SUVs to 27.5 miles per gallon -- the same standard that now applies to passenger cars -- by 2011. This would save the U.S. one million barrels of oil a day; reduce our dependence on foreign oil imports by 10 percent; prevent about 240 million tons of carbon dioxide -- the top greenhouse gas and the biggest single cause of global warming -- from entering the atmosphere each year; and save SUV and light duty truck owners hundreds of dollars each year in gasoline costs. Reed has also been a leading voice in the effort to safeguard our nation's low-income citizens from rising energy costs. Each year, as co-chair of the Northeast-Midwest Senate Coalition, Senator Reed spearheads a national effort to ensure adequate funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). LIHEAP provides a vital safety net for our nation's low-income households, disabled individuals, and senior citizens living on fixed incomes.

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