Political Quotes

“we find ourselves in an unhappy situation today with respect to fuel oil, gasoline, and diesel prices. We learned from our last experience with high energy prices in the 1970's the importance of energy supplies to our citizens and our economy. This bill is a weak attempt to address our current and long-term energy needs. We need sustained funding for long-term and medium-term programs that improve the efficiency of energy use and that diversify our energy supplies. We have let low energy prices that we have enjoyed in the past few years be the justification for cuts in energy efficiency and energy research and development programs. The administration has consistently requested larger sums for these accounts than have been appropriated. For example, the Weatherization Assistance Program, which was cut by 50 percent in 1995, helps to make housing more energy efficient. The program now weatherizes an average of 70,000 dwellings a year at a current appropriation of $135 million. If we had level funded the Weatherization Assistance Program from 1996 through this year, DOE would have weatherized 248,000 more homes than we were able to under the existing appropriations. Compare this to the funds we need to spend under the Low Income Heating Assistance Program which serves over 4 million households at a cost of more than $1 billion.”