Congressman Sander Levin

A New Direction for U.S. Energy Policy

With rising energy costs hitting consumers hard, and with growing concern over our nation's dependence on foreign oil, on December 18, 2007, the House of Representatives voted 314 to 100 to adopt wide-ranging energy legislation [H.R. 6] () to promote energy efficiency and renewable resources. The President has signed this measure into law.

The Energy Independence and Security Act expands the use of American-grown biofuels in transportation to 36 billion gallons by 2022. The measure also sets new energy efficiency standards for appliances, lighting, and buildings, which will save consumers $400 billion through 2030 and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The legislation also calls for a 40 percent increase in vehicle fuel economy by 2020, the first such increase by Congress in 32 years.

During the earlier House debate on the energy bill, Rep. Udall of New Mexico offered an amendment requiring utilities to produce at least 15 percent of their electricity from renewable energy sources, such as wind power, biomass, wave, tidal, geothermal and solar. Unfortunately, due to opposition from some senators as well as the Bush Administration, the renewable energy portfolio provision was dropped from the final version of the energy package.

A renewable electricity standard is an important step that we can take to meet our nation's growing energy needs in an environmentally friendly manner, decrease our dependence on foreign energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and create thousands of new jobs. I remain a cosponsor of Rep. Udall's renewable energy portfolio bill, and will continue to work for its passage by Congress.

Summary of major provisions of the Energy Bill.