Joe Wilson: “today is an important day in the House. We are going to bring forward an energy bill, the first comprehensive energy…”

“today is an important day in the House. We are going to bring forward an energy bill, the first comprehensive energy bill we have had in this country for almost 20 years. It is a long-term, balanced approach to energy policy that includes increases in both production and conservation. But I have to give credit to both sides of the aisle here because this House decided to start with conservation. The bill includes a measure that will save 5 billion gallons of gasoline from SUV and light truck production over the next 6 years. That is the equivalent of parking the 1999 production of SUVs for 2 years and not even driving them. It includes standards for televisions and appliances and energy efficiency, accelerating the clean coal program and tax credits for solar homes. Those tax credits in that bill do not go to big oil. They go to people like me and others like me who live in solar heated homes in the Southwest. This is a balanced, comprehensive approach that includes input from many rank-and-file Members of this House, and I commend the leadership and the bipartisan majority that will pass it today.”