Kent Conrad: “in this body we are on the brink of something that is momentous, and that is significant energy legislation to reduce…”

“in this body we are on the brink of something that is momentous, and that is significant energy legislation to reduce our dependence on foreign fuels. The bill before us will break new ground. We will have fuel efficiency standards increased for the first time since 1975. This is the result of compromise, of principled compromise that advances the cause of reducing our dependence on foreign fuel. Last year I introduced the BOLD act, Breaking Our Long-term Dependence. That was perhaps the most comprehensive energy legislation introduced in this body all last year. It had many provisions, many provisions to encourage further development of ethanol and biodiesel and wind energy and solar energy--all the renewables. But more than that, it had provisions to expand domestic production of oil and gas in a responsible way; also providing clean coal incentives because, after all, over 50 percent of our electricity in this country comes from coal. That is not going to fundamentally change anytime soon. So we have to take measures to increase the environmentally friendly aspects of coal usage and to improve our ability to produce and use that resource in a clean way. While I am delighted we are on the brink of passing something significant and the beginning of something that could be much bigger, I am very disappointed the provisions that passed the Senate Finance Committee on an overwhelming bipartisan vote did not get the 60 votes required to advance.”