Political Quotes

“But bottom line is the program that we are talking about here is corporate welfare. That is what the Fossil Energy Research and Development Program is, and that is not just my opinion. I remind the Members that it was the 1997 budget resolution of the Republican party which said, and I want to repeat this: The Department of Energy has spent billions of dollars on research and development since the oil crisis of 1973 triggered this activity. Returns on this investment have not been cost effective, particularly for applied research and development which industry has ample incentive to undertake. Some of this activity is simply corporate welfare for the oil, gas and utility industry. Mr. Chairman, let me quote from the Congressional Budget Office: In the area of fossil research and development, commercial firms already spend a great deal of money to develop new technologies.”