Peter Welch: “the issue for us in this Congress is procedure, but it is really about substance. In the last Congress, what happened…”

“the issue for us in this Congress is procedure, but it is really about substance. In the last Congress, what happened was something that you can't make up. Oil companies have enjoyed $125 billion in profits over 3 years, were the beneficiaries of legislation that lowered taxes for them by about $14 billion. You can't make it up. What this legislation is about is addressing that and for the first time taking a step in the direction of providing incentives for what every American knows is long overdue, and that is to provide incentives for alternative energy opportunities. We need that to strengthen our economy and create good jobs; we need that to strengthen our position in foreign policy so that we are independent; and we also need it to begin addressing global warming. This legislation is the beginning, it is only a beginning. There is going to be an enormous amount of time for the committees to take up the large issues and for us together to take the broader steps that are required to become truly independent on energy.”