Harry Reid: “we are going to soon be dealing with a tax conference report, and I am satisfied with what it does for the middle…”

“we are going to soon be dealing with a tax conference report, and I am satisfied with what it does for the middle class--it is important and good--but I am disappointed with what it does not do for alternative energy. It does have a provision in it dealing with wind, and I think that is important, but the United States needs a new strategy, a new vision to meet our energy needs. We cannot meet the demands for oil in this country by producing our way out of the problem. America controls less than 3 percent of the oil reserves in the world, including what is in ANWR. So we must look elsewhere for other sources of energy like renewable energy. This Nation is rich in renewable energy resources--the heat within the Earth, the warmth of the Sun, and the force of the wind. We have always been blessed with these resources. Now we have the technology to harness them efficiently. The Senate is already on record supporting the development of renewable energy. We know that renewable energy can provide a steady supply of electricity that is made in the USA. We know it can create thousands of jobs. We know it can protect our environment and reduce global warming, and we know it can help reduce our dependence on oil from the Middle East. That is why the Senate has voted repeatedly to include strong incentives for the development of renewable energy in comprehensive energy bills.”