Energy Independence and Security Act
On December 18th, the House passed a motion to concur in the Senate amendments to H.R. 6, the Energy Independence and Security Act, and on December 19th the President signed this bill into law.
The Energy Independence and Security Act is an historic bill to make America more energy independent, respond to the global warming crisis, and grow our economy. Record high prices for oil—with prices at the pump more than double the price in 2001, and heating oil costs triple that of 2001—add urgency. The legislation:
- Strengthens national security, by lessening our dependence on foreign oil
- Reduces global warming
- Lowers energy costs for consumers
- Creates hundreds of thousands of new jobs and strengthens our economy
What Others Are Saying About the Historic Energy Security Bill>>
Read about Business, Labor, and Environmentalist Support for the Historic Energy Security Bill>>
Speaker Pelosi spoke on the floor in support of the bill:
Strengthens National Security
- Increases vehicle fuel efficiency standard to 35 miles per gallon in 2020—the first congressional increase in 32 years.
- Slashes U.S. oil consumption by more than 4 million barrels per day by 2030—more than twice our daily imports from the Persian Gulf.
- Expands American-grown biofuels to 36 billion gallons in 2022.
Reduces Global Warming
- Cuts greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 by up to 24 percent of what the U.S. needs to do to help save the planet.
- Increased vehicle fuel efficiency has the equivalent effect of taking 28 million vehicles off the road in 2020.
- Increases the efficiency of buildings, homes, appliances, and lighting, reducing emissions 75 percent as much as increasing vehicle efficiency.
- Makes an historic commitment to American homegrown renewable energy that reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
Lowers Energy Costs
- Increased vehicle fuel efficiency will save American families $700 to $1,000 a year at the pump.
- New fuel efficiency standards will produce $22 billion in net annual savings for consumers in 2020.
- Building, appliance, and lighting efficiency will save consumers $400 billion through 2030.
Creates Jobs
- Massive development of biofuels and cutting-edge energy research will create hundreds of thousands of new jobs.
- Job training will prepare workers for 3 million new ‘green’ jobs over 10 years
- Small businesses will be renewable energy leaders.
The Energy Independence and Security Act has won expansive bipartisan support from a broad coalition of state and local elected officials, environmental, labor, faith and business communities.