Karen Thurman: “the amendment we offer today is about what America wants. Americans want bipartisan answers to our Nation's problems…”

“the amendment we offer today is about what America wants. Americans want bipartisan answers to our Nation's problems, and I am pleased that I have had the opportunity to work with Members from both sides of the aisle to try to provide some of those solutions. But, Mr. Chairman, our amendment is also about what Americans do not want. Americans do not want to continue to send their sons and daughters to war because of our addiction to foreign oil. The one sure way to reduce that possibility is to increase our commitment to alternative energy sources. But this is not what the bill before us today does. The committee measure cuts renewable energy programs 16 percent below fiscal year 1996 funding. I worked very closely with researchers at the University of Florida solar energy labs. While the U.S. commitment to renewables is eroding, the researchers at U.F. watch their colleagues around the world capitalizing on the growing market for renewable technologies.”