Throughout my years in Congress, I have been a consistent supporter of measures to decrease American reliance on foreign oil, reduce energy costs for American citizens, and promote renewable and clean energy sources. Oil companies are experiencing record profits while average Americans struggle to pay rising energy costs. Americans should not be subsidizing oil companies record profits.

As I travel throughout Atlanta, and meet with my constituents from all walks of life, one of the most-pressing issues on everyone’s mind is the rising price of oil. The current economic situation is dire for American families as gas prices continue to skyrocket. Congress must take immediate action to help reduce this burdensome cost that is hurting American families.

Energy Independence and Security Act (H.R. 6)

I was an original cosponsor of the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA), landmark legislation that will make more energy independent while sparking economic growth and protecting our environment in the process.

The bill, which became law in December 2007, won expansive bipartisan from a broad coalition of environmentalists and automobile makers, of labor unions and business leaders, and state and local elected officials. EISA combines concrete steps to reduce our nation’s dangerous dependence on oil with an energy plan to create thousands of “green collar” jobs, save consumers money, cut pollution and the carbon emissions causing climate change.

The law raises fuel economy standards to 35 miles per gallon by 2020 for new cars and trucks, the equivalent of taking 28 million vehicles off the road. This marks the first increase in the fuel economy standards by Congress in more then 30 years—significant progress in our march toward energy independence and security.

The new fuel economy standards will help ease our reliance on foreign oil and strengthen our national security. The savings are projected to save American families $700-$1000 at the pump, with $22 billion in net consumer savings every year after 2020.

EISA makes a historic commitment to American-grown bio-fuels, including incentives to boost the production of bio-fuels to 36 billion gallons by 2022. As we see the effects of climate change all across our planet, this bill will reduce our greenhouse gas emissions through the creation of renewable electricity standard to diversify and “green” the sources of our nation’s energy. It also increases the efficiency of buildings, homes, appliances and lighting, reducing emissions by 75 percent in an effort that will save Americans $400 billion through 2030. 

Finally, this law requires improved federal and commercial building energy efficiency, authorizes new alternative energy research and development. It created a program to train quality workforce for “green collar” jobs from a solar panel manufacturer to a green building construction worker. This legislation will prepare workers for three million “green jobs” over 10 years.  

Energy for our Future Act

A significant commitment by the government to reduce energy use would promote awareness and enhance efforts to reduce energy consumption. I am also a strong supporter of the Energy for our Future Act. This piece of legislation would amend the Internal Revenue Code to repeal the limitation on the number of new qualified hybrid and advanced lean-burn technology vehicles eligible for the credit, provide tax credits for manufacturers of fuel efficient motor vehicles, and subject sports utility vehicles (SUVs) to the limitation on the depreciation of certain luxury automobiles. It would establish a grant program for development of transit-oriented development corridors in urban areas and instructs the Secretary of Energy to implement a research and development program targeting advanced technologies, including solar and wind energy and bio-fuel.

Strategic Petroleum Reserve Fill Suspension & Consumer Protection Act (H.R. 5473)

I am a cosponsor of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve Fill Suspension and Consumer Protection Act, which was signed into law on May 19th, 2008. This legislation directs the president to suspend the acquisition of petroleum for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) for the rest of the year, resuming only if the average price of petroleum in the U.S. falls below $50 a barrel for 90 days. The SPR is over 96 percent full with more than 700 million barrels in reserve and filling it takes 70,000 barrels of oil off the market each day.

In addition to creating solutions to ease current oil prices, we must find ways to reduce our nation’s dangerous dependence on oil. These tough times are a wake-up call and we need to lay the foundation for an energy revolution.

Drilling Our Way to Energy Independence

We cannot drill our way to a new and innovative energy policy. Since 1999, the number of requests for drilling permits on public land has increased by more than 360%. And only two thirds of the permits issues in the last four years are actually in use. The oil companies are not even drilling on all the land available to them. We need to have a real debate about new solutions for America’s energy future, and not play the broken record of arguing that drilling is the answer. I have and will always be a strong supporter of the environment and increased federal support for clean air, land, and water. Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) is a crown jewel of America’s refuge system, established for the purpose of preserving unique wildlife and wilderness.  ANWR is the last piece of America’s Arctic Coastline not already open to oil exploration. Some consider it the greatest living reminder that conserving nature in its wild state is a core American value. It is home to and a means of preserving unique wildlife and we must practice responsible stewardship of this land.