Jerry Brown: “I have gained this honor because I spoke out against these amendments when they were first debated on the floor, and I…”

“I have gained this honor because I spoke out against these amendments when they were first debated on the floor, and I probably will repeat a little bit of what I said previously. The cuts that are proposed to be made in order to fund the increases in the weatherization program are out of the energy research and development account in which I have a very strong interest. This is not to say I am opposed to weatherization. I think weatherization has been cut more than I would like, and I would support any move to increase it that does not cut into energy R&D. What has happened in energy R&D. We have with this bill a 20-percent cut from the levels of 1995, using that as a benchmark, a 10-percent cut from 1996, the current year's figures, and what we have, of course, is a request from the President to increase the 1995 figures by 20 percent or the 1996 figures by 30 percent in order to achieve the great values which occur as a result of this program. The energy conservation research and development program has produced things like the energy efficient windows that have saved taxpayers $1.8 billion in energy costs; energy efficient building design that saved consumers $1.9 billion in energy costs; and energy efficient freezers and refrigerators that have saved consumers $6 billion in the 10 years from 1980 to 1990.”