Washington, D.C.—Today the U.S. House of Representatives passed the most comprehensive energy-reform legislation in more than two decades.  The Comprehensive American Energy Security & Consumer Protection Act is a short-term compromise with a long-term vision.

“The people of this nation are hurting,” said Rep. John Lewis, “each time they fill up their cars at the gas pumps. Members of Congress have all heard from their constituents about the pain they are suffering, and we have responded. Gas prices are burning a hole in peoples’ pocket books. We need to do what we can to get this economy back on track and make sure that Americans can pay their mortgages, put food on their tables, and take care of the basic necessities of life.”

The bill brings American consumers more energy security and economic relief by expanding renewable sources of energy to lower prices, ending tax subsidies to Big Oil and making sure that companies drilling on public lands pay proper royalties.  The bill also takes aggressive steps towards ethics reform, ending the cozy relationship between many regulation and enforcement officials and top oil and gas executives.

Most importantly, this bill creates jobs for American workers, especially in the renewable energy sector.   The bill provides new and expanded tax incentives for renewable sources of electricity like wind, solar and bio-fuel; incentives for energy efficient homes, buildings and appliances; and low-income heating assistance provisions that make sure senior citizens on fixed incomes as well as the poor and the jobless, are not left out in the cold this winter.