I wanted to take this opportunity to update you on my recent votes regarding our nation's energy policy.

In early December 2007, I voted in favor of a comprehensive version of H.R. 6, the Renewable Fuels, Consumer Protection, and Energy Efficiency Act of 2007, because it invested in clean renewable energy, conservation, and efficiency, and it repealed unnecessary subsidies for the oil and gas industries. Our nation and our planet can no longer afford the dig, drill, build, and burn energy policy of the President and his allies in Congress. The bill was approved by the House of Representatives on December 6, 2007 by a vote of 235 - 181.

H.R. 6 included many widely accepted incentives and some very bold and essential policy changes. The widely accepted initiatives include expanded production of renewable fuels; enhanced energy efficiency standards for appliances; energy efficiency improvements for small businesses; research into solar, geothermal, and ocean energy; greater incentives to improve the energy efficiency of government and private sector buildings; and the export of clean energy technologies to polluting countries like China and India.

Unfortunately, the Senate and the President objected to many of the bolder changes such as a 15 percent national renewable electricity standard (RES) and the elimination of over $20 billion in tax loopholes for oil and gas companies, who are bloated with extravagant profits from $100-barrel oil revenues.

The RES is a market-based mechanism that would have required electric utilities to use renewable energy to generate 15% of their electricity or to purchase renewable energy credits from others to meet this standard by 2020. The RES provisions in H.R. 6 would have resulted in a reduction in global warming emissions by 84-126 million metric tons per year by 2020 (equivalent to taking 10 million - 15 million vehicles off the road). And these standards would have saved consumers $13-18 billion in cumulative consumer savings by 2020.

Very important to Oregon, I led the effort to ensure that H.R. 6 contained provisions that would have reauthorized the Secure Rural Schools program for four years, and would have fully funded the payments-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILT) program for one year. More than 780 counties in 42 states benefit from Secure Rural Schools, and nearly every county in 49 states receives PILT payments: without them, our counties will have to close libraries, lay off county employees, eliminate mental health services, cut search and rescue teams, curtail sheriffs patrols, release prisoners from jails, and in at least one case, perhaps even declare bankruptcy and give up their county status. Unfortunately, this provision was stripped out because it was attached to the rollback of oil and gas company subsidies. The idea that subsidies to Exxon Mobil are more important than county payments is an insult to Oregonians.

However, I am pleased to report that an historic bi-partisan agreement to raise fueleconomy standards for cars and trucks was agreed upon by environmentalists, labor, and the automobile industry. The price at the pump spurred Congress to increase the fuel economy standard to 35 miles per gallon in 2020 for new cars and trucks. This will save American families $700 - $1000 per year at the pump, with $22 billion in net consumer savings in 2020 alone. Importantly, these provisions will reduce oil consumption by 1.1 million barrels per day in 2020 (one-half of what we currently import from the Persian Gulf), and reduced greenhouse gases equal to taking 28 million of today's average cars and trucks off the road. This is the first increase in the fuel economy standard by Congress since 1975 - marking a significant advancement in our efforts to address our energy security.

I ultimately voted against the final version of H.R. 6 because on balance the bill lacked a strong mandate for renewables, failed to eliminate oil and gas subsidies, and did not reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools program. While increasing CAFE standards is important, the legislation simply did not go far enough in addressing our country's energy needs and dependence on foreign oil. We could have - and should have - done more.

You can be sure that I will continue my efforts to develop a sustainable energy policy, that combats global warming, reduces our dependence on foreign oil, and protects consumers from outrageous energy costs.



Sincerely,
Rep. Peter DeFazio
Fourth District, OREGON