[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 91 (Wednesday, June 27, 2001)]
[House]
[Page H3622]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                 ENERGY

  (Mr. BALDACCI asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BALDACCI. Mr. Speaker, with the continuation of rolling blackouts 
and skyrocketing energy costs, we need to address our country's energy 
problems now. In the short term, we need a solution that provides much-
needed price relief for consumers to outrageously high energy costs, 
particularly now that we are in the summer.
  The Bush administration's energy plan does virtually nothing to 
address these issues. The leadership in this Congress has wiped out the 
raising of the fuel efficiency standards and continues to do nothing in 
the area of research in renewables and other long-term benefits in 
improving energy efficiency. The administration has tried to address 
this in the previous years but was unable to do it with the leadership 
of this Congress.
  We need a plan that does not relax environmental standards, does not 
propose drilling in sensitive environmental areas of this country, such 
as the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve and off the coast of Florida's 
shores. That plan only benefits large oil companies at the risk of all 
Americans. Our approach to our country's energy problems is a balanced 
plan that addresses both supply and demand. The plan proposed by 
Democratic leadership increases refining capacity and helps America use 
energy more efficiently.




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