Passing A Comprehensive Energy Bill

Press Release

PASSING A COMPREHENSIVE ENERGY BILL -- (House of Representatives - September 17, 2008)

Mr. WELCH of Vermont. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the House of Representatives passed a comprehensive energy bill, regrettably with almost undivided Republican opposition. That was disappointing because we had a chance to work together. In fact, this bill incorporated two things--one, a recognition that we need to continue getting the supply of oil to make it from here to there, but second, we needed a sustainable revenue source to invest in R&D and to invest in implementing alternative energy projects. The energy plan of the Republicans, cooked up by Vice President Cheney in secret, has been very good for the American oil companies, not for the American consumers.

So far this year, oil companies in a down economy have raked in $44 billion in profits. That's seven times the amount of profits Big Oil brought in when President Bush was first sworn into office.

What has the energy plan done that the President pursues or that our colleagues on the other side pursue? $4 gasoline. It's costing $2,500 more to heat your homes.

Mr. President, it's time for us to work together and to get our colleagues in the Senate to pass that bill.

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