[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 67 (Wednesday, May 7, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5830-S5831]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                 ENERGY

  Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I rise today to talk about the energy 
bill and need for a comprehensive energy policy.
  Although we were unable to pass an energy bill in the 107th Congress, 
I am hopeful that in this Congress we will be able to get a good bill 
through the Senate, out of conference, and onto the President's desk.
  We have had a department of energy for over 20 years. But we've never 
had a sound national energy policy.
  Now is the time for Congress to get serious about addressing our 
energy supply and needs.
  In order to make progress on the energy bill we need to figure out 
how to increase production while also doing more to encourage 
conservation.
  In the past I think Congress has failed to make progress on energy 
policy because we have tried to make a choice between the two.
  I hope most of us understand that a sensible energy policy must 
strike a balanced approach that includes a boost in domestic energy 
production as well as a promotion of conservation and smarter energy 
use.
  The energy bill before us, under Chairman Domenici's leadership takes 
good steps towards striking this balance.
  I look forward to the tax provisions coming from the finance 
committee that will further promote conservation and energy efficiency 
by encouraging the use of cleaner burning fuels.
  As a member of both the energy committee and finance committee, I am 
pleased to have had the opportunity to help craft the bill before the 
Senate.
  In the wake of September 11 and ongoing problems in the middle east, 
it is more and more obvious a sound energy policy is a crucial part of 
our national security.
  We must have reliable sources of energy and we must cut our reliance 
on foreign oil.
  Increasing our domestic production is critical in reducing our 
foreign dependence.
  Right now we depend upon foreign nations--including the middle east--
for nearly 60 percent of our Nation's oil supply.
  Americans have experienced some difficult times recently when oil and 
gas prices shot up. They are starting to edge back down now. But during 
the winter and early spring consumers saw prices go up and up.
  We all saw the rise in gas prices this winter and the crimp it put on 
the economy.
  We are struggling to get out of a recession now, and while passing an 
energy bill might not help us in the short term, it could make a 
difference the next time we hit an economic downturn or things flare up 
in the middle east.
  The need to increase our own production of energy has never been more 
important than now.
  While we appear to be moving away from combat in Iraq, there is still 
a lot of uncertainty in the middle east.
  It is too important and there is too much instability in the world. 
We need to pass an energy policy now.
  Mr. President, Congress has been playing political football with the 
issue for the past few years. I think it's time to end the game.
  Our Nation and our National security continue to be at stake.
  We must strengthen our energy independence to protect ourselves from 
any dangerous and unpredictable events in the middle east.
  We don't want the United States beholden to other countries just to 
keep our engines running and lights turned on.
  While I am disappointed that ANWR is not in the bill before us, the 
bill does provide a good starting point to help our Nation increase 
domestic production of energy and reduce our reliance on foreign 
sources.
  It also provides important conservation provisions which will help 
protect the environment.
  I am also glad that the Senate's energy bill contains the clean coal 
provisions I wrote to help increase domestic production while also 
improving environmental protection.
  For my home State, this means more jobs and a cleaner place to live.
  Clean coal technologies will result in a significant reduction of 
emissions and a sharp increase in efficiency of turning coal into 
electricity.
  I'm proud to come from a coal state. For generations Kentuckians from 
Pike county in the east to Crittenden county in the west have made 
their living in the coal fields and coal mines.
  For the last decade coal in Kentucky was on the downturn because of 
legislative and regulatory policies from the Federal Government.
  Now I am glad to see that we have turned that around and are taking 
steps to make sure that coal continues to play a vital role in meeting 
our future energy needs.
  This focus on clean coal is good for the environment. And it is 
certainly good for the economy and for putting folks back on the job.
  The energy bill encourages research and development of clean coal 
technology by authorizing nearly $2.6 billion in appropriations for the 
D.O.E. to conduct programs to advance new technology.
  Almost $2 billion will be used for the clean coal power initiative 
where D.O.E. will work with industry to advance efficiency, 
environmental performance, and cost competitiveness of new clean coal 
technologies.
  The proposed energy tax package includes nearly $2 billion in tax 
credits

[[Page S5831]]

for companies to implement clean coal technology.
  Coal plays in important role in our economy. The 21st century economy 
is going to require increased amounts of reliable, clean, and 
affordable electricity to keep our Nation running.
  Today, more than half of our Nation's electricity is generated from 
abundant low cost domestic coal.
  We have over 275 billion tons of recoverable coal reserves. This is 
nearly 30 percent of the world's coal supply.
  That is enough coal to supply us with energy for more than 250 years.
  With research advances, we have the know-how to better balance 
conservation with the need for increased production. We should use our 
know-how to come up with a good energy bill.
  I hope we can move it quickly and pass a bill to make our 
environment, economy, and National security stronger.
  I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Crapo). The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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