Tom Lantos: “although I am unable to be present for the final vote on the Conference Report on H.R. 6 because of a long-standing…”

“although I am unable to be present for the final vote on the Conference Report on H.R. 6 because of a long-standing commitment, I want to voice my very strong opposition to H.R. 6, the Energy Policy Act of 2003. Mr. Speaker, only in a one-party process is such a one-sided and ill-conceived bill possible. By excluding Democrats from meaningful participation in the conference committee, the Republican majority has failed to achieve the bipartisan consensus that is necessary to deal with America's real energy security needs. This bill does little or nothing to help the most populous state in our Nation--my home state of California. I am seriously concerned about the environmental impact of this ill-conceived and one-sided legislation. The bill protects manufacturers of the gasoline additive MTBE that has contaminated water supplies in California. It doubles the subsidy for ethanol, the corn-based anti-pollution gasoline additive that is not particularly helpful in our state. It does little or nothing to protect against an energy crisis such as the one California faced 2 years ago. I am seriously concerned that it opens the door to off-shore drilling in California. Mr. Speaker, this bill fails to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, and it fails to provide sufficient help for conservation or alternative energy development.”