Political Quotes

“in listening to the comments against the Carper-Specter amendment, I am not sure they have fully read the Levin-Bond amendment. I know they have not read the amendment we offer today. Senator Specter and I both voted for the Levin-Bond amendment. It is a good amendment. It has a number of positive features that make common sense for our country. In a moment or two, a budget point of order will be brought against our amendment. None was brought against the Levin-Bond amendment. The reason is because in the Carper-Specter amendment, we are looking for a real reduction in oil consumption. We do not vitiate the Levin-Bond amendment. The whole language stays in the bill. The Levin-Bond amendment directs the Secretary of Transportation to promulgate regulations, essentially CAFE regulations, in order to meet high fuel efficiencies. We do not change that, but we do say in order to reduce the consumption of oil for our cars, trucks, and vans by 2015, not only should the Secretary of Transportation have the opportunity to consider changes in CAFE, but they should also consider how it can reduce oil consumption through alternative fuels. Alternative fuels could be biodiesel or soy diesel. It could include ethanol, diesel created from coal waste in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, or other States. Four things are different than when we voted a month ago on the Levin-Bond amendment. The Middle East today is in turmoil. Venezuela is in turmoil.”