Washington, Sep 17 -

  
WASHINGTON, D.C. September 16, 2008 – U.S. Representative John R. “Randy” Kuhl, Jr. (R-Hammondsport) today introduced legislation to prevent Congress from adjourning without enacting comprehensive energy legislation. The resolution calls on the 110th Congress to continue working on behalf of Americans until comprehensive energy legislation has been passed.

“American families and small businesses around this nation are struggling because the cost of energy. And this is only going to get worse in the coming winter months, especially in Western New York, where home heating costs are also expected to soar,” said Rep. Kuhl. “Just like House Republicans came back to Washington D.C. when Speaker Pelosi adjourned Congress for a five week vacation in August, this legislation makes it loud and clear that we do not want to go home without enacting a comprehensive energy solution. Our country needs a comprehensive, all of the above energy plan that includes improving conservation and efficiency, drilling in America, increasing the supply of American-made energy, bringing online additional refineries, and developing all viable alternative or renewable fuel sources and technologies.”

The resolution demands that the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), not adjourn until comprehensive energy legislation has been enacted into law that —

(1) opens the Outer Continental Shelf, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and oil shale reserves to environmentally prudent exploration and extraction;
(2) extends expiring renewable energy incentives
(3) encourages the streamlined approval of new refining capacity and nuclear power facilities;
(4) encourages advanced research and development of clean coal, coal-to-liquid, and carbon sequestration technologies; and
(5) minimizes drawn out legal challenges that unreasonably delay or prevent actual domestic energy production.

In July, Congressman Kuhl joined his Republican colleagues in introducing the American Energy Act, H.R. 6566, which increases the supply of American-made energy, improves conservation and efficiency, and promotes renewable and alternative energy technologies. The American Energy Act is a comprehensive piece of legislation that will boost supplies of all forms of energy produced in the U.S. to reduce our dependence on foreign sources of energy. Secondly, and equally as important, H.R. 6566 will promote new, clean, and reliable sources of energy.  This is going to be achieved by increasing the supply of American-made energy, improving energy efficiency, and encouraging investment in groundbreaking research in advanced alternative and renewable energy technologies. 

In addition, Congressman Kuhl is also a cosponsor of the bipartisan National Conservation, Environment, and Energy Independence Act (H.R. 6709). This legislation, co-authored by Reps. John Peterson (R-PA) and Neil Abercrombie (D-HI) and drafted by the bipartisan Energy Working Group, expands American energy production, encourages cleaner energy production, and dedicates new funding – without tax hikes – for conservation and energy research programs.

Text of the resolution:

Expressing the sense of the Congress that the 110th Congress should not adjourn until comprehensive energy legislation has been enacted.

Whereas the United States has abundant domestic supplies of oil and natural gas that are currently unavailable for exploration in an environmentally sound manner;

Whereas according to the Minerals Management Service, the United States Outer Continental Shelf contains technically recoverable undiscovered resources equaling 85.88 billion barrels of oil and 419.88 trillion cubic feet of natural gas;

Whereas 85 percent of the Outer Continental Shelf of the lower 48 States is subject to the congressional moratorium on expenditures for oil and gas leasing of the Outer Continental Shelf;

Whereas according to an August 2008 Rassmussen Reports poll, 61 percent of Americans support lifting existing bans on offshore oil and gas drilling;

Whereas the 110th Congress adjourned for the month of August 2008 without passing meaningful legislation to immediately reduce the price of gasoline at the pump or establishing a long-term plan for energy independence;

Whereas the 110th Congress adjourned for the month of August 2008 without passing meaningful legislation to reauthorize tax credits for alternative energy production, which will expire at the end of 2008;

Whereas the United States’ continued reliance on foreign sources of oil undermines the United States’ national security;

Whereas as Americans struggle to pay for basic necessities, the Congress has failed to pass comprehensive energy legislation;

Whereas since January 2008, record energy prices have caused tens of thousands of Americans to lose their jobs and nationwide unemployment to rise from 4.9 percent to 6.1 percent; and

Whereas, as announced by the congressional Democratic Majority, from August 1, 2008, through January 1, 2009, the 110th Congress will only work 14 session days in 5
months but receive their full salaries as legislators: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), that the 110th Congress should not adjourn until comprehensive energy legislation has been enacted into law that—

(1) opens the Outer Continental Shelf, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and oil shale reserves to environmentally prudent exploration and extraction;
(2) extends expiring renewable energy incentives
(3) encourages the streamlined approval of new refining capacity and nuclear power facilities;
(4) encourages advanced research and development of clean coal, coal-to-liquid, and carbon sequestration technologies; and
(5) minimizes drawn out legal challenges that unreasonably delay or prevent actual domestic energy production.

 
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