Henry Waxman: “Republican leaders say that the bill before us is comprehensive energy legislation that will meet the Nation's energy…”

“Republican leaders say that the bill before us is comprehensive energy legislation that will meet the Nation's energy needs by protecting the environment and safeguarding consumers. Well, these are the right goals, but there is only one problem: The bill accomplishes none of them. This is an antienvironment, anticonsumer, antitaxpayer bill. This bill fails to provide secure, sustainable, and affordable energy supplies. It does nothing about the most important energy issues facing our Nation, like addressing global warming and reducing the Nation's dependence on foreign oil. Instead, this bill lavishes taxpayer subsidies on big energy companies, while weakening our environmental laws. I have never encountered a time when the disconnect between rhetoric and reality has been so enormous. The President says he wants to save Social Security, yet he proposes a plan that would cut benefits and privatize the program. Republicans in Congress say they want limited government, yet they enact legislation intruding on the end-of-life decisions for the poor woman in Florida. Congressional leaders say they want to support high moral standards in government, yet they gut the ethics process in the House. And in this so-called energy bill we shower billions on special interests while ignoring our Nation's serious energy needs. The Republican energy plan is a bonanza for the energy industry.…”