[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 13]
[House]
[Page 17656]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   THE ECONOMIC CASE FOR CLEAN ENERGY

  The SPEAKER. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. 
Connolly) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. I rise today to reemphasize the economic 
need for the American Clean Energy and Security Act. I proudly 
supported the energy bill's recent passage here in the House because I 
know that in addition to protecting our environment and providing for 
greater national security, it will also control spiraling energy costs 
and create American clean energy jobs.
  Our friends on the other side have attempted to obfuscate the issue 
by labeling the landmark legislation as a tax bill. They have even 
cited a study claiming a precise-sounding figure, and at first their 
mistake perhaps could be forgiven. Perhaps they simply didn't 
understand the study they cited.
  However, Professor John Reilly of MIT, one of the authors of that 
very study, sent a letter to minority leader John Boehner stating that 
the Republican citation was simply not correct, given the study's data.
  That letter was dated April 1. Yet, our friends on the other side 
persist in using this inaccurate figure. Madam Speaker, I'm here to set 
the record straight.
  Shall we talk about increasing energy prices? How about a $700 energy 
increase on every American household if we don't take action. This 
isn't a tax. This is the cost of doing nothing. This is more than a 
$700 increase each year that has already occurred in this decade due to 
rising electricity and gasoline prices.
  Of course, the costs could be much higher if we used last year's $4 a 
gallon cost during the summer. However, even using the current price of 
$2.59, the average yearly per capita increase in gasoline costs this 
decade has been more than $400 per household. Excluding last year's $4 
a gallon cost, the price of a gallon of gasoline this decade has 
doubled--from $1.26 a gallon in 2000, to $2.59 currently.
  Since 2000, the price of electricity in the United States increased 
more than 38 percent, thereby pushing the average yearly household bill 
from $800 to $1,100 a year.
  We know that we send hundreds of billions of dollars each year to 
foreign countries to import oil. The U.S. imports roughly 9.4 million 
barrels of oil every day. That equates to more than $230 billion every 
year--$230 billion we could be reinvesting in our economy--creating 
American energy jobs--rather than sending it overseas, often to 
countries that view us as a meal ticket at best, or an enemy at worst.
  Madam Speaker, we have also heard from the other side that the 
American Clean Energy and Security Act would eliminate jobs. Perhaps 
they don't realize that the current system of energy generation is 
already costing us thousands of jobs.
  For instance, the U.S. Department of Labor states that employment in 
the mining industry will decline every year through at least 2014. This 
isn't recession related. This is simply an industry in decline. If we 
do nothing, more Americans will lose their jobs.
  We know the cost of doing nothing--continuing increases in energy 
costs and continuing job losses--costs American families can no longer 
afford. However, with the American Clean Energy and Security Act, we 
will create jobs--green jobs--here in America. The Act will create 
incentives for American companies to innovate and to expand their 
investment in alternative sources of energy.
  Madam Speaker, we know we can generate American jobs in the renewable 
energy sector if we just make the investment. From 2000 to 2008, for 
example, the wind power industry alone--before the passage of this 
bill--created 35,000 jobs. Of course, wind energy still makes up only a 
small percentage of electricity generation--less than 1 percent.
  Imagine if we could make a concerted effort for renewable energy. We 
could greatly expand those gains and create hundreds of thousands of 
American clean energy jobs.
  Madam Speaker, the business community understands the importance of 
energy reform. Companies like eBay, Nike, Starbucks, Levi Strauss, the 
Gap, Symantec, and Sun Microsystems have formed the Business for 
Climate and Innovative Energy Policy Coalition to advocate for these 
clean energy jobs and for this bill. These businesses support reducing 
greenhouse gas pollution, establishing a renewable energy standard, and 
investing in job creation. They know that if we do nothing, the costs 
associated with continued global warming will reach $271 billion by 
2025.
  America has always been the land of innovation. However, as we 
recently have seen in the automotive industry, we cannot rest on past 
laurels. There are costs to doing nothing.
  I commend my colleagues in the House for the support of the bill. 
Together, we have made a statement that will address rising energy 
costs; we will wean America off its dangerous dependence on foreign 
oil; and we will work to avoid the catastrophic costs of global 
warming; and create American jobs. I hope the Senate will act swiftly.

                          ____________________