[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 112 (Friday, August 3, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1559]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              SECURING AMERICA'S FUTURE ENERGY ACT OF 2001

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                               speech of

                          HON. EVA M. CLAYTON

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday August 1, 2001

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill. (H.R. 4) to 
     enhance energy conservation, research and development and to 
     provide for security and diversity in the energy supply for 
     the American people, and for other purposes.

  Mrs. CLAYTON. Mr. Chairman, H.R. 4, otherwise known as the Securing 
America's Future Energy (SAFE) bill, is anything but safe for rural 
America. This legislation, which was originally designed to encourage 
energy conservation, energy reliability and energy production, leaves 
rural America behind and in a cloud of dust. Proving once again that 
the majority is more intent upon rewarding campaign contributors than 
in addressing the needs of consumers in rural America.
  This legislation, Mr. Chairman, while initially well-intentioned, 
does not take into account the unique differences that America's rural 
communities face in an ever-changing electricity environment. Much of 
rural America is served by not-for-profit rural electric cooperatives, 
cooperatives that are not in the business of making money, but serving 
their consumer-owners. These cooperatives do not seek out to price-
gouge, but rather they seek to provide reliable and affordable 
electricity to their consumers in an efficient manner. The bill we are 
considering will allow investor-owned electric companies that are 
currently reaping record profits to receive $33 billion in tax breaks 
for huge companies to spend overseas!
  Mr. Chairman, when this body considers industry-specific legislation, 
it should consider all the unique aspects of the particular industry. 
Indeed, sound public policy is advanced when the differences between 
the sectors are taken into account. One important area that this 
Congress must study more carefully are the differences between the 
needs of rural America and urban and suburban America. This legislation 
does not meet this test.
  H.R. 4 prevents rural electric cooperatives from participating in the 
new competitive marketplace. For all our talk about a level-playing 
field and a competitive marketplace, we fail to foster such a thing by 
excluding rural electric cooperatives from the same benefits that we 
provide to investor-owned utilities. It is critical that we provide a 
level playing field for all sectors of the electric utility industry--
municipals, investor owned, and cooperatives--when considering public 
policy.
  Bypassing this legislation, we are in essence saying that one sector 
of the industry should be favored over another. We are also saying that 
the electric needs of rural America and American farmers are less 
important than our population centers. The SAFE bill provides investor-
owned utilities with billions of dollars worth of capital gains relief 
that comes at the expense of higher electricity rates to consumers.
  The Congress needs to reconsider this poor public policy legislation 
and come back after the August recess to address these inequities and 
finally consider legislation that is good for all of America, urban and 
rural.

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