Energy

Today, we are faced with one of our greatest challenges - securing clean, domestic energy for our continued economic growth and national security. We simply cannot continue to depend on foreign sources of oil for our energy needs. We need to build on our efforts to help achieve energy independence and recognize that good energy policy is also good environmental policy.

We need more conservation, efficiency, and production of domestically available fuels. It is imperative that we invest in research and development of alternative and renewable sources - such as wind, solar, biomass, and coal to liquids. We need technology to capture carbon emissions, sequester CO2 and make coal plants cleaner. We need to solve the nuclear waste issue and build more carbon-free nuclear power plants for electricity generation.

My Ultra-deepwater bill, a research and development bill that was approved in the last Congress, will produce the technologies to drill in ultra-deep areas of the Gulf and on land.

In addition, I support drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). Drilling on 19 million acres of ANWR and using on 2,000 acres under the present bill will not even dot the surface of ANWR. It would be like placing a postage stamp in the northeast corner of a tennis court and saying that the postage stamp ruins the entire court.

Rest assured, I will continue working hard as Ranking Member of the Committee on Science and Technology and as a long-time Member of the Energy and Commerce Committee to ensure energy independence.

Return to Legislation/Issues Overview