Walberg Supports American Energy Act

Press Release

Congressman says legislation is a comprehensive, "all options included" energy plan

U.S. Congressman Tim Walberg (R-MI) today announced he is supporting the American Energy Act (H.R. 6566), comprehensive legislation to help reduce gas prices by harnessing new technologies, encouraging greater conservation and efficiency and increasing American energy production in an environmentally-safe manner. The American Energy Act is the latest plan, among many, supported by Congressman Walberg as he pushes for an "all options included" American energy program that will bring down energy prices and wean America off of Middle East oil.

"There continues to be growing momentum in this Congress to increase American energy production," Walberg said. "The American Energy Act is a comprehensive, ‘all options included' energy plan that returns our energy production back to the United States and creates good paying, American jobs. This is another great bill expanding American energy production that House leadership refuses to allow a debate on."

To increase the supply American-made energy in environmentally sound ways, the legislation will:
• Open energy-rich America's deep ocean resources, Arctic coastal plain, and Inter-Mountain West oil shale resources for more environmentally-safe oil and gas exploration, while removing bureaucratic red tape that hinders the construction of new refineries.

To improve energy conservation and efficiency, the legislation will:
• Provide incentives for businesses and families that improve their energy efficiency, including by purchasing more fuel efficient vehicles, while awarding a monetary prize to the first entrepreneur to develop an economically feasible, super-fuel-efficient vehicle (reaching 100 miles-per-gallon).

To promote alternative and renewable energy technologies, the legislation will:
• Spurring the development of alternative fuels by:
- Establishing a renewable energy trust fund using revenues generated by exploration in the deep ocean and on the Arctic coastal plain;
- Eliminating barriers to the expansion of emission-free nuclear power production;
- Permanently extending the tax credit for alternative energy production, including wind, solar and hydrogen;
- Repealing the prohibition on government purchasing of alternative energy; and
- Promoting coal-to-liquids technology.

Walberg also introduced a discharge petition in June to bring the No More Excuses Energy Act, legislation to increase U.S. energy production and invest in alternative sources of energy, to the House floor for a vote. House rules state that a discharge petition must have 218 signatures (a simple majority) in order to bring a bill to the floor for a vote. 154 members have signed the petition so far.

The No More Excuses Energy Act (H.R. 3089):
- Encourages new refinery construction and makes federal lands available for refinery construction.
- Reduces green house emissions by encouraging the capture of CO2 from marginal oil wells.
- Boosts alternative energy development by extending the Wind Production Tax Credit for 10 years.
- Lifts the Congressional Moratoria on exploring the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), potentially providing 17 billion barrels of oil.
- Opens the ANWR to responsible exploration, potentially producing nearly a million barrels per day for several decades.
- Encourages investment in a much-needed industrial base for building modern nuclear power plants.

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