Chris Van Hollen: “as Yogi Berra used to say ``it's deja vu all over again.'' I never would have imagined: During a time of war in the…”

“as Yogi Berra used to say ``it's deja vu all over again.'' I never would have imagined: During a time of war in the Middle East, heading into the summer smog season in cities like Washington, DC, with prices at the pump hitting $2.50 a gallon, we are here today telling our constituents that the wisest course of action-- the best America can do with its energy policy--is ``more of the same''. Nonsense. We have choices. We always have choices. What we apparently don't have--yet--is the leadership to make them. Take national security. Rather than heeding the clarion call of former CIA Director Woolsey, former National Security Advisor McFarlane and others to reduce our use of foreign oil by launching ``a major new initiative to curtail U.S. consumption through improved efficiency and the rapid development of . . . petroleum fuel alternatives,'' this legislation actually increases our reliance on foreign oil, according to the independent Energy Information Agency (EIA). What about economic growth? We've lost over 2.8 million manufacturing jobs since 2001--and no matter how hard today's proponents try to spin it--this bill isn't going to bring them back. To the contrary, by doling out additional tax breaks to already highly profitable oil companies, this legislation represents a monumental missed opportunity to target critical federal investments towards the rapidly expanding green industries of the 21st century.…”