Energy
"By investing in alternative energy sources, increasing domestic oil and gas production, and developing next-generation energy technologies, America will be able to declare its energy independence."
— Congressman Bart Gordon
The United States is dangerously dependent on foreign sources of energy. Oil imports alone account for 63.5 percent of the nation’s daily consumption. In addition to this, America spends more than $440 billion on energy each year, consuming 26 percent of the world’s energy supply. To end our country’s dependency, a new, balanced energy policy is needed – one that is based on renewable energy sources, domestic production of oil and gas, and next-generation energy technologies.
Increasing Domestic Oil Production
According to the U.S. Department of the Interior, there are more than 800 billion barrels of recoverable oil in the United States that are currently untapped and that the nation is not trying to use. Developing and using this oil will help decrease America’s dependency on foreign oil. In September 2008, Bart supported the Comprehensive American Energy Security Act, which would increase domestic oil production and lead to lower gas prices. Specifically, the bill would allow for domestic offshore drilling, opening up 319 million acres of the Outer Continental Shelf, and put an end to the ban on oil shale development on federal lands.
Investing in Renewable and Clean Energy Sources
Unlike oil and natural gas, renewable energy sources are continually replenished and much better for the environment. Renewable energy can be harnessed from various sources like wind, water, and the sun. The United States can generate energy from these sources without having to rely on other countries. Currently, only 7% of the energy that Americans consume comes from renewable energy sources. In the 110th Congress, Bart was an original supporter of the Energy Independence and Security Act, which was signed into law on December 19, 2007. The legislation included provisions Bart wrote, which will make renewable energy sources more accessible and affordable for consumers. The bill also expanded the Department of Energy’s program for carbon capture and sequestration. Bart also supported funding in 2008 for a Department of Energy loan program that will provide $20.5 billion for safe new nuclear energy and $8 billion for clean coal technology.
Developing Next-Generation Technology
While there is debate surrounding when it will happen, experts widely acknowledge that oil and natural gas are finite resources and eventually the world’s supply will be completely tapped. With this in mind, it is imperative that the United States, the world’s largest consumer of both oil and natural gas, start developing next-generation technologies and energy sources that are not petroleum-based. In the 110th Congress, Bart authored landmark legislation, the America COMPETES Act, which was signed into law on August 9, 2007. This legislation created a new agency called the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) in the U.S. Department of Energy. The mission of ARPA-E is to invest in high-risk, high-reward energy research and development projects that have the potential to produce next-generation energy technologies. A similar program at the Department of Defense led to the creation of the internet GPS technology. ARPA-E will bring national labs, private companies and universities together to develop the technologies and energy sources that will eventually put an end to our dependency on petroleum-based products.
