FROM THE PROGRESS REPORT
ENERGY
Bush Turns Up the Heat
With his approval ratings sinking and Social Security overhaul stalling, President Bush is backing a new horse: the energy bill. As the Senate takes up debate of the energy bill, the president is digging in his spurs and declaring, "Summer's here, temperatures are rising and tempers will really rise if Congress doesn't pass an energy bill." President Bush believes "the standard by which Congress should be judged is whether or not they can get an energy bill." But, "rather than judging Congress on whether or not it delivers an energy bill by the president's arbitrary deadline, shouldn't this legislation be judged on whether it truly meets America's energy needs?" If the Senate follows the example set by the House or the directives of the Bush administration, its version of the energy bill will come nowhere close to meeting our national security, public health, or environmental interests.
THE THIRST FOR OIL: "We need to reduce our dependency on foreign oil" has become a popular catchphrase for the President and Congress. Earlier this week, Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) introduced an amendment that will finally force us to do more than just talk about energy independence. Cantwell's proposed provision "would set a national, 20-year goal to import 1.5 million barrels oil per day less in 2025 than we are doing today." While the Senate bill already includes language to reduce oil consumption, Cantwell's amendment comes as "a bold statement." Rather than step up to the challenge, other senators have balked at the idea. Sen. Pete Domenici (R-NM) responded, "I really am smiling about this amendment on the floor. I guess smiling is the first thing that occurs before you laugh." Similarly, the White House has shied away from the action, even opposing the "more modest reduction" in America's oil importation.
A WAY TO QUENCH THE THIRST: While the nation works to reduce its dependence on foreign oil, it is becoming clear that we need to shift our focus to alternative and renewable energy resources. For this reason, "an unlikely alliance of neoconservatives, farmers and union and environmental leaders" are bolstering support for the next generation of vehicles and fuels. As Center for American Progress CEO John Podesta noted, "We drive to high-tech jobs today in cars built with 100-year old technology, using 100 million-year-old-fuel. We can do better than that." Yesterday the Senate moved in the right direction. Their 8-billion gallon ethanol requirement - including incentives for cellulastic ethanol - represents a "broad expansion of the use of ethanol in gasoline." On the public health front, ethanol is a far preferable gasoline additive than MTBE, which "has seeped into water supplies in all 50 states...rendering the water undrinkable."
THE ROOF, THE ROOF, THE ROOF IS ON FIRE...: Last week, "science academies from 11 of the world's leading industrial and developing nations...issued a warning that nations must tackle climate change." When it comes to climate change, the broad consensus is that the debate is over. As such, several senators are "hatching plans to offer climate-change initiatives as amendments to the [energy] bill." Environmental activists are "heartened by this flutter of activity." According to the Natural Resources Defence Council, "This does represent a shift in debate in the Senate where we have reached very broad agreement, despite a few holdouts, that this is a scientific reality that needs to be addressed by government."
...WE DON'T NEED NO WATER: The Bush administration still maintains that "more study is needed before the United States takes further action on climate change." Considering the doctored reports they're reading, this is almost a logical assumption. Unsurprisingly, as senators "try to insert language to rein in emissions believed to be contributing to global climate change...the administration made clear it would oppose any such move."
Bush Turns Up the Heat
With his approval ratings sinking and Social Security overhaul stalling, President Bush is backing a new horse: the energy bill. As the Senate takes up debate of the energy bill, the president is digging in his spurs and declaring, "Summer's here, temperatures are rising and tempers will really rise if Congress doesn't pass an energy bill." President Bush believes "the standard by which Congress should be judged is whether or not they can get an energy bill." But, "rather than judging Congress on whether or not it delivers an energy bill by the president's arbitrary deadline, shouldn't this legislation be judged on whether it truly meets America's energy needs?" If the Senate follows the example set by the House or the directives of the Bush administration, its version of the energy bill will come nowhere close to meeting our national security, public health, or environmental interests.
THE THIRST FOR OIL: "We need to reduce our dependency on foreign oil" has become a popular catchphrase for the President and Congress. Earlier this week, Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) introduced an amendment that will finally force us to do more than just talk about energy independence. Cantwell's proposed provision "would set a national, 20-year goal to import 1.5 million barrels oil per day less in 2025 than we are doing today." While the Senate bill already includes language to reduce oil consumption, Cantwell's amendment comes as "a bold statement." Rather than step up to the challenge, other senators have balked at the idea. Sen. Pete Domenici (R-NM) responded, "I really am smiling about this amendment on the floor. I guess smiling is the first thing that occurs before you laugh." Similarly, the White House has shied away from the action, even opposing the "more modest reduction" in America's oil importation.
A WAY TO QUENCH THE THIRST: While the nation works to reduce its dependence on foreign oil, it is becoming clear that we need to shift our focus to alternative and renewable energy resources. For this reason, "an unlikely alliance of neoconservatives, farmers and union and environmental leaders" are bolstering support for the next generation of vehicles and fuels. As Center for American Progress CEO John Podesta noted, "We drive to high-tech jobs today in cars built with 100-year old technology, using 100 million-year-old-fuel. We can do better than that." Yesterday the Senate moved in the right direction. Their 8-billion gallon ethanol requirement - including incentives for cellulastic ethanol - represents a "broad expansion of the use of ethanol in gasoline." On the public health front, ethanol is a far preferable gasoline additive than MTBE, which "has seeped into water supplies in all 50 states...rendering the water undrinkable."
THE ROOF, THE ROOF, THE ROOF IS ON FIRE...: Last week, "science academies from 11 of the world's leading industrial and developing nations...issued a warning that nations must tackle climate change." When it comes to climate change, the broad consensus is that the debate is over. As such, several senators are "hatching plans to offer climate-change initiatives as amendments to the [energy] bill." Environmental activists are "heartened by this flutter of activity." According to the Natural Resources Defence Council, "This does represent a shift in debate in the Senate where we have reached very broad agreement, despite a few holdouts, that this is a scientific reality that needs to be addressed by government."
...WE DON'T NEED NO WATER: The Bush administration still maintains that "more study is needed before the United States takes further action on climate change." Considering the doctored reports they're reading, this is almost a logical assumption. Unsurprisingly, as senators "try to insert language to rein in emissions believed to be contributing to global climate change...the administration made clear it would oppose any such move."
posted by T. Scott Brineman at 6:26 AM
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