James M. Jeffords: “I want to thank the managers of this legislation for working with me to protect our country's renewable energy programs.…”

“I want to thank the managers of this legislation for working with me to protect our country's renewable energy programs. The amendment I offered, along with Senators Roth, Leahy, Murkowski, Chafee, Bumpers, Daschle, Kohl, and Conrad, will essentially maintain fiscal year 1996 spending levels for most solar, wind, biomass, and other renewable energy programs. The amendment restores $23 million to these accounts, preserving our nation's main efforts to attain energy independence. Mr. President, the United States imports in excess of 50 percent of the oil we use to power our homes, automobiles, and workplaces. Our dependence on this foreign oil continues to be a risk to our national security and is running up our trade deficit. Despite this fact, we continue to reduce funding for the few programs which lead us down the path of energy independence. In the legislation we are debating today, funding for solar, wind, biomass, and renewable energy programs is cut by almost 30 percent and a number of important programs are eliminated completely. I am very aware of the constraints the managers of this legislation have had with this bill and I commend them for their efforts. However, I feel strongly that this Nation and this congress should continue to support investment in renewable technologies. The cost of wind, photovoltaics, solar thermal, and biomass have dropped more than ten fold over the last 15 years.”