Political Quotes

“I am pleased to join both of my friends from Iowa, Senator Harkin and Senator Grassley, along with the distinguished Senator from Arkansas, Mrs. Lincoln, in sponsoring this amendment to the energy bill. This amendment would seek to change a provision that is in the bill, as reported by the committee, or as it is pending before the Senate, that relates to seasonal energy efficiency ratios of air-conditioners. The reason we are offering this amendment is to permit the Department of Energy to proceed with the rulemaking, which they have the power to undertake and they are now considering, to make air-conditioners more energy efficient. The difficulty with the bill, as reported by the committee, is that it preempts the rulemaking process and establishes, by law, a new seasonal energy efficiency ratio, and it establishes it at the level of 13. That is one of the standards of measuring energy efficiency. The current energy ratio that is established under the regulations is at 10. Almost everybody agrees that this standard ought to be increased and that the efficiency ought to be improved. The issue is, how much? This amendment that we are offering suggests the appropriate level is 12 instead of the committee-mandated ratio of 13. Why is that? It is because, at this level, if it is not amended, you are going to increase the cost of air-conditioners by about $700 each. In a State such as my State of Mississippi, that is a huge increase for consumers.”