Dianne Feinstein: “Taxpayers for Common Sense points out that there is nearly $13 billion for the oil and gas industry, $5.4 billion for…”

“Taxpayers for Common Sense points out that there is nearly $13 billion for the oil and gas industry, $5.4 billion for coal, $1.4 billion for the nuclear power industry, $4.16 billion for ethanol, $4.9 billion in energy efficiency, $1.7 billion for auto efficiency and fuels--that includes ethanol--$11 billion for LIHEAP and weatherization, $21 billion for science research and development, $2.15 billion for freedom car and hydrogen research, and $764 million for miscellaneous provisions. Now, I am in favor of some of these programs, but the cost of this is enormous. The Senate should think twice about these massive spending increases, especially given our rising Federal deficit. I do not want to leave my children and my grandchildren saddled with these debts. Let's also consider the fact that this bill does not deal with global warming, does not deal with fuel efficiency standards, does not deal with consumer protections, and does not deal with energy security. From a western perspective, and particularly a California perspective, we have to look at the western energy crisis and ask the question: Will this bill help in the future? My analysis of the bill leaves me with the conclusion that the answer is no. I have often pointed out in this Chamber that the cost of energy directly before the crisis was $7 billion. That was in 1999. It rose to $27 billion in 2000, and $26.7 billion in 2001. In 1 year, the cost went up 400 percent in California.”