WASHINGTON, D.C.- Congressman Theodore C. Jameson spoke out in the Science, Health, Education, and Environment Committee today in Congress where he defended the Democratic Record on Energy, as well as defending ethanol. Republicans in the Committee are attempting to pass the Alaskan Pipeline Reopening Act, which would continue our dependence on oil for more than twenty years. Congressman Jameson rose and defended the Democratic Record, cited true facts about ANWR and Ethanol, and defended why Ethanol and renewable energy are the better path. As a member of the President’s Energy Policy Board, he is aware of what the ANWR is all about and he knows it is a futile attempt to try and drill there. Here was the major statement he made:
“Mr. Chairman,
What we have here is a typical Republican response when they are under fire from a well deserved attack. The Republican’s policy of “duck and cover” whenever the Democrats point out a huge flaw in their agenda is typical…and it is not very original. The Republicans say that the Democrats created the Energy Crisis, but that is so far from the truth. The Republicans opposed the CAFE Standards Act and President Warren vetoed the bill. But it is no secret that the Republicans have been involved in other things that have created the energy crisis. Sixteen years of Republican Leadership in the Executive Branch, we have had an energy policy of overconsumption of oil and gas, constantly fueling our need for fuel with more fuel. Now we sit here today discussing who is really responsible, but why was it that President Bush or President Warren push for renewable energy? Perhaps if we pushed for renewable energy a decade ago, we would not be sitting here discussing and debating this bill right now. In fact, we could be 100% oil free, right now.
While the Democrats have fought in Congress for years to achieve passing real solutions to our energy issues, the Republicans continue to sit in idle nearby, ready and willing to stop, filibuster, or veto legislation that will halt the passage of good, solid renewable energy or smart solutions legislation that will ease our prices and consumption on gasoline. While the Democrats fight for real solutions and bold changes to our current ways of solving energy problems, Republicans have argued giving a bandaid for a head wound. Plain and simple, our current plans are causing us to bleed profusely on energy and the Republicans, those wonderful, grand old Republicans, continued to propose giving it a bandaid that will not heal the wound. Instead, the Republicans will leave our energy crisis to bleed for many years to come.
In Response to my Colleague from New York, My plan for breaking our oil addiction is to stop going after that oil and focus on what we do have. We have ethanol, we have the ability to turn it into a renewable energy fuel, and we should use that. As a member of President Mason’s Energy Policy Board, we have thoroughly explored drilling in the ANWR and it just is a waste of time. Over four years before we can begin actually doing anything, and another sixteen years after that before we will truly see a drop in gasoline prices. Mr. Chairman, we should just be focusing on going after alternative fuels. I’d rather have an Oil-Free America twenty years from now than wait twenty years for the relief that the Republicans are offering us now.
I yield the floor.”
