House Takes Steps Toward Greater Energy Independence

Hooley votes for CLEAN Energy Act, Investing $14 Billion in Clean, Renewable Energy

Darlene Hooley (far left) and Ron Wyden (far right) Photo by: Tim King

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - Oregon Congresswoman Darlene Hooley joined with the new Majority to pass the CLEAN Energy Act, taking the first step on the path toward energy independence in the United States.

H.R. 6, the CLEAN (“Creating Long-Term Energy Alternatives for the Nation”) Energy Act of 2007, will repeal $14 billion in tax breaks and subsidies given to the oil industry, and will invest the money in the creation of a Strategic Renewable Energy Reserve to promote renewable fuels.

“The American public deserves fair value for their resources,” said Hooley.

“By repealing nearly $14 billion in unnecessary subsidies and tax breaks for large oil and gas companies we are able to create a clean, renewable energy and energy efficiency fund that will help reduce our dependence on foreign oil, combat global warming, and decrease air pollution, while creating jobs and saving consumers money on their energy bills.”

“The future of energy in America depends on the development of domestic renewable energy and alternative fuels and an end to our addiction to foreign oil, a step that is crucial to strengthening our national security,” Hooley added.

H.R. 6, the sixth and final bill of the new Majority’s first 100 hour agenda, passed the House Thursday afternoon by a margin of 264 to 123.

It now goes to the Senate for further action.

The legislation will take a number of steps to reduce government subsidization of the oil industry and promote clean, renewable energy, including:

* Recovering billions of dollars in lost royalties due to an error in the Interior Department’s 1998 and 1999 oil and gas leases for drilling offshore in the Gulf of Mexico.

* The creation of a Strategic Energy Efficiency and Renewable Reserve to reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil.

The Reserve will pay for further legislation to accelerate the use of clean domestic renewable energy and alternative fuels, promote energy-efficient products, and increase research, development, and use of renewable energy and energy efficient technologies.

* Closing a loophole in the tax code that was meant to encourage domestic manufacturing.