Bob Filner: “this legislation takes our nation in the wrong direction and fails to meet our energy needs. This is a missed…”

“this legislation takes our nation in the wrong direction and fails to meet our energy needs. This is a missed opportunity. We could have boosted our nation's commitment to renewable and efficient energy, thereby curbing our reliance on foreign oil, creating 21st century jobs, protecting the environment and providing affordable and reliable energy for America's families. We could have taken on the oil companies that are gouging all our constituents at the gas pumps. We could have fought for more hybrid vehicles, higher fuel economy standards and other 21st century technologies. But, instead, the Republican energy bill doles out favors to the oil, gas and coal companies, keeping our nation stuck in the 20th century. This bill allows the oil companies to rip up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. This bill protects companies that have polluted our water with MTBE. We now know that GOP means gas, oil and petroleum! The Rules Committee blocked two amendments I would have offered to this bill. The first would have simply extended the tax credit for geothermal energy, giving energy companies the time they need to build geothermal facilities and actually use the incentive this Congress already approved. My amendment would have promoted the development of geothermal energy in Imperial Valley, California, and around the nation, creating good jobs and a source of clean, domestically- produced, environmentally friendly, reliable energy.…”