[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 76 (Thursday, June 9, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1194]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


               INTRODUCTION OF THE NEW APOLLO ENERGY ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JAY INSLEE

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 9, 2005

  Mr. INSLEE. Mr. Speaker, in April 2005, the House of Representatives 
once again passed an antiquated and outdated energy bill that fails to 
address the grave realities that our country faces today. With record 
high gasoline prices, we need an energy bill that diversifies our 
automobile fuels and encourages domestically manufactured fuel 
efficient vehicles.
  With millions of family wage manufacturing jobs lost since 2001, we 
need an energy bill that takes bold action to tap into American 
ingenuity in order to lead the world in new clean energy technology, 
rather than playing catch-up to the Japanese, Danish, and Germans. Just 
as concerning is that our reliance on Middle Eastern oil, creates a 
need to establish an energy policy that allows us to end our 
historically objectionable policies in this area. Additionally, the 
science is clear that our greenhouse gas emissions are threatening to 
significantly change the world's climate, yet this energy bill does not 
even contain the words ``climate change'' or ``global warming''. The 
House passed Energy bill does little, or nothing, to address these 
mounting concerns.
  That is why I, and several of my colleagues, have joined together to 
introduce the most innovative and comprehensive energy plan in recent 
decades, known as the New Apollo Energy Act. New Apollo seeks to solve 
America's energy crisis through technological innovation much in the 
same way that President Kennedy channeled the resources of the American 
people in the 1960's to meet the challenges of the race to the Moon.
  The New Apollo Energy Act has the three simple goals of: (1) breaking 
our addiction to Middle Eastern oil, thereby increasing our Nation's 
homeland security; (2) creating millions of high paying domestic jobs; 
and (3) addressing the environmental problem presented by global 
warming.
  Highlights of our New Apollo Energy Act include: Significant tax 
incentives for the development, manufacturing, and purchasing of 
domestic clean energy technologies; Investment in energy efficient 
infrastructure and regulatory oversight; An oil savings provision that 
requires the President to use existing authority to reduce the daily 
consumption of oil by 600,000 barrels by 2010 and 3,000,000 barrels by 
2020 (approximately what we currently import from the entire Middle 
East); Increased funding for LIHEAP and weatherization projects; A 10 
percent Renewable Portfolio Standard by 2021; Electric grid reliability 
standards; Appliance efficiency standards; A renewable fuels standards 
set at 8 billion gallons by 2013.
  The New Apollo Energy Act creates jobs. It is often falsely assumed 
that environmental protection and innovation comes at a cost to the 
economy, yet study after study concludes that environmental stewardship 
and technological ingenuity can walk hand in hand. The University of 
California at Berkley reported that the renewable energy sector 
generates more jobs per megawatt of power installed, per unit of energy 
produced, and per dollar of investment, than the fossil fuel-
based energy sector. The Apollo Alliance has found that a substantial 
federal commitment to clean energy could yield up to 3.3 million jobs 
nationally. The University of Michigan concluded that United States 
stands to lose 38,000-207,000 jobs if the domestic automotive industry 
fails to retool their plants to adjust to the growing hybrid vehicle 
market. Further, the Department of Energy has estimated that standards 
just on clothes washers, water heaters, and fluorescent lamp ballasts 
will create 120,000 jobs through 2020.

  The New Apollo Energy Act reduces our dependence on foreign oil. We 
no longer have to accept an energy bill that fails to encourage the 
usage of renewable energy or one that fails to reduce our consumption 
of foreign oil. The Department of Energy's own independent research 
body--the Energy Information Agency (EIA)--concluded that under the 
Administration's proposed energy plan over the next 20 years, our oil 
imports will increase to 80 percent, and gas prices are likely to rise 
3-8 cents, which would be the equivalent projections of enacting no 
energy bill at all. The EIA has also reported that despite the electric 
utilities' repeated claims that a renewable energy standard would hurt 
consumers and the economy as a whole, a 10 percent renewable energy 
standard by 2020 would cost consumers almost nothing--about the 
difference of 1 percent spread out over the next 15 years.
  The New Apollo Energy Act reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Among 
other things, the New Apollo Energy Act provides tax credits and loan 
guarantees to develop more cellulosic biomass and biodiesel while 
providing incentives to produce and purchase energy efficient projects 
and developing new efficiency standards for the home.
  Most importantly, this bill includes a tradable greenhouse gas permit 
scheme that closely resembles McCain-Lieberman's Climate Stewardship 
Act. In 2010, our bill would cap carbon dioxide emissions at 2000 
levels. This would also include an auction for 5-10 percent of the 
permits for new entrants. As Members of Congress we are continually 
amazed that many of our colleagues have yet to accept global warming as 
fact. Many of us have seen the effects of global warming with our own 
eyes--the disappearing glaciers in Glacier National Park, the melting 
permafrost in the Arctic, the disintegration of ice shelves, the 
rapidly rising temperatures, and the sudden appearance of birds and 
other animals in places where they have never before existed. Global 
warming is about as much a theory as gravity, yet some in Congress 
continue to ignore nature's warning signs. Congress needs to embrace a 
policy that directly confronts the problem of climate change with the 
kind of innovative technology that has made science aware of these 
issues.
  The New Apollo Energy Act is revenue neutral. This bill is funded by 
closing corporate tax shelter loop-holes, and from funds generated by 
the carbon emissions cap and trade program set up in this bill.

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