House Sends Final Energy Independence and Security Act to the President
December 18th, 2007 by Jesse LeeThe House has just passed a motion to concur in the Senate amendments to H.R. 6, the Energy Independence and Security Act by a vote of 314-100. The House passed the bill on December 6th, and the Senate passed the bill on December 13th. House passage of the bill sends it to the President’s desk, and the White House has announced that the President will sign the bill.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi closed debate on the bill:
Speaker Pelosi: “You are present at a moment of change. Of real change. Of rejecting the past, respecting the values of the past, but rejecting the insistence that we stay in the past, and going into the future. This is about a choice between yesterday and tomorrow. And while I would have liked to have had the full package that passed here with overwhelming bipartisan support in the House, I salute this bill for what it does do, and respect it for that, rather than judge it for what it does not. Because we have plenty of time… to make even more change.” |
See highlights of the debate >>
The legislation:
Strengthens National Security
· Increases vehicle fuel efficiency 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 24 percent of what is needed to save the planet.
· Increased vehicle fuel efficiency has the equivalent effect of taking 28 million vehicles off the road.
· 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.