Denny Rehberg: “Montana is known as the Treasure State because of our natural beauty and the natural resources that we can provide for…”

“Montana is known as the Treasure State because of our natural beauty and the natural resources that we can provide for economic and energy independence; but Montanans, I have learned, do not care so much about energy portfolio, grids or Btus, and they sure as heck do not care so much about partisan politics; but they do care about, our seniors want to know that when they move up the little knob on their thermostats that they will have heat. Our mothers and fathers want to know that when they turn their ignition their cars will start so they can take their children to school, and our small businessmen and--women want to know when they try and open up in the morning, when they flip that switch, there is electricity. It is interesting for me to hear the opponents of this bill who have been in this Congress for 20, 30, 40, and almost 50 years talking about solving the problem. When is the bill perfect? Where has been the solution for the last 20 or 30 years? We are waiting for it. I remember as a young man standing in line to buy gasoline in 1979, and we talked about the energy independence of this country. When is the time? It is now. It is time to solve it now. This is a well-designed plan, a well-thought-out energy policy that may not be perfect in the long run, but is a vision to build America's future. The worst thing that we can do is create an energy debt for our next generation.”