The So-Called Energy Bill

December 30, 2007

The President recently signed into a law an energy bill passed by Congress at the eleventh hour, just in time to allow the Members who voted for it to go home for the holidays and tell their constituents that Congress is successfully moving this Nation towards energy independence and energy security.

I will not be delivering that message to my fellow Alaskans, because quite frankly, doing so would be disingenuous. The so-called energy bill being touted as a "step toward energy security and energy independence" will do little if anything to accomplish those goals, and it will hurt - not help - this nation and the millions of American families suffering from increased energy costs. In fact, under the mandates outlined in this bill, Americans will now face the very real prospect of paying more to heat their homes, fuel their vehicles, and put food on the table.

By focusing on a host of efficiency and renewable energy mandates, while doing nothing to expand production of the domestically-abundant conventional energy sources that account for 95 percent of our Nation's energy needs, this "energy bill" is akin to an Iraq War funding bill that excludes money for guns, tanks, and ammunition.

Renewable energy, and conservation and efficiency measures are important and we must pursue them aggressively. However, they are but one piece of a comprehensive energy policy aimed at reducing energy costs, enhancing energy security, and reducing our dependence on hostile foreign nations. An energy bill that focuses solely on efficiency and renewable energy mandates, and completely ignores the need expand domestic production of coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear and hydropower - the backbone of our Nation's economy - is NOT an energy bill.

God blessed this Nation with a bounty of resources, and with advanced technology and American ingenuity we can produce our vast domestic reserves of conventional energy while keeping greenhouse gas emissions to a minimum. Taken together with increased renewable energy production and enhanced energy efficiency and conservation, we can truly begin to move this Nation toward energy independence. Unfortunately, the energy bill just signed into law will leave this country increasingly dependent on hostile foreign nations, and Americans will suffer the consequences.

There are those who think this "Energy Bill" is sound, comprehensive energy policy, and may believe that my opposition to the bill is "out-of-step" with the needs of Alaska. They must have missed yesterday's KTUU poll which found that more than 80 percent of Alaskans agree that the Energy Bill "does not do enough to create a secure energy future for Americans."

Yes, it would have been easy to vote yes on this bill, and apparently it's even easier for my opponents to criticize me for voting no. But Alaskans expect me to vote as an Alaskan and consider the real needs of our Alaskan people, communities, and the state. As your Representative in Congress, I could not in good conscience support a bill that will have very real economic consequences on Alaskans and the Nation as a whole.