Russ Feingold: “Last week this body passed energy legislation that finally sets the U.S. energy policy in a new, positive direction. In…”

“Last week this body passed energy legislation that finally sets the U.S. energy policy in a new, positive direction. In 2005, I opposed the Energy bill because it did not establish a sound and fiscally responsible energy policy. The Renewable Fuels, Consumer Protection, and Energy Efficiency Act of 2007 will help wean the United States of oil dependence, encourage the development of renewable energy, and promote energy efficiency, and I was pleased to support it. The bill includes many important provisions. A renewable fuel standard of 36 billion gallons of renewable fuel by 2022 will help spur the development of advanced fuels such as cellulosic ethanol, which holds a lot of promise for my home State of Wisconsin. The bill also includes anti-price gouging language, based on Senator Cantwell's bill that I cosponsored, to protect consumers from price gouging by sellers and distributors of oil, gasoline, or petroleum distillates during natural disasters and abnormal market disruptions. The bill also includes a proposal of mine that supports local renewable energy--an issue I am committed to advancing and hear a lot about during the listening sessions I annually hold in every county of Wisconsin.”