On the recordFebruary 18, 2011
The amendment uses a heavy-handed approach in order to shut down important programs at the Department of Energy. Fossil energy sources supply more than 80 percent of our Nation's total energy. Using these resources more efficiently and more cleanly and developing technologies that can access new domestic sources are extremely important when so much of our energy depends on fossil fuels. This amendment would stop programs that do just that. For example, it would prevent work like the development of ultra-clean fuels. There may be some areas of research in which the private sector does not need help, but there are other areas of research which are too risky for industry to take on. I oppose the amendment.
