Watson Coleman: “As we all know, budgets are about setting priorities for the Nation. As we continue to work on the resolution today, I…”

“As we all know, budgets are about setting priorities for the Nation. As we continue to work on the resolution today, I offer an amendment to address a key priority for our Nation: providing for our Nation's energy future. We all know America's energy needs are growing rapidly. We need clean energy, and high energy prices threaten our national security. This is now a national security issue. A few years ago, when I was talking about ethanol, I would get some patronizing pats on the back for taking care of some Midwest corn growers. That has changed today. Clearly, this is a national security issue. High energy prices threaten our economic security. It is imperative then that Congress work to promote energy technology that will offer clean energy solutions and, if anything, Congress's budget should provide for new opportunities to address these issues. Yet in addition to seeking new legislative opportunities, we must address the oncoming expiration of current energy tax incentives that promote renewable energy and energy efficiency.”