Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman talks about what the purpose is of the National Biofuels Action Plan. (0:36)

 

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New York Times columnist Thomas L. Friedman says that the next great global industry will be energy technology and that whoever dominates the field will have the greatest economic, national, and energy security (0:26).

 

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House Republicans held a press conference today calling for Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to allow a vote on comprehensive energy reform. Speakers said the Republican strategy would solve America’s energy crisis by developing renewable and alternative fuels, using clean coal and nuclear energy, and increasing the levels of American-produced oil and gas.

Rep. Thad McCotter (R-Mich.) attacked the “do-nothing, don’t-care” Congress via phone, saying Pelosi has allowed Congress to stay on vacation while the energy crisis remains unsolved.
House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) outlined the Republican standpoint on energy, saying that “energy security is in effect national security.” Boehner also said that revenues gained by the US government from increased oil exploration would be used to fund renewable sources of energy. He concluded his statement, asking Pelosi to “give [Congress] a chance to show the American people we can produce what they want.”

Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.) said that by 2030, America’s energy needs will have increased by 30 to 40 percent. He adds that Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) has discussed the need to increase the US’ nuclear energy supplies by 50% by that time, which the Arizona Senator believes would create 750,000 new jobs. “We cannot stay at home with [this] job undone,” Upton said.

Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.) says that the Republicans demand that Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) allow the US Congress to have a vote on comprehensive energy reform when they get back in session. He says the energy problem is not a Republican or Democrat issue, but an American issue (:29).

 

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Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Oreg.) talks about the upcoming elections and the critical issues Americans currently face with Bureau Chief Ellen Ratner. DeFazio talks about the need for reform of energy laws and the improvement of America’s technological and educational infrastructure. He criticizes the Republican energy and fiscal policy as well.

 

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Former Vice- Presidential hopeful Rep. Chet Edwards (D-Texas) discusses Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-Ill.) choice of Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) as his running mate with Bureau Chief Ellen Ratner. He also discusses his congressional district and issues facing Americans. Edwards answers questions about the current energy crisis as well as the American health care system and claims that it is not impossible for Sen. Obama to win Texas in the November election (5:17).

 

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Former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack speaks on a conference call discussing Sen. John McCain’s (R-Ariz.) opposition to bipartisan energy reform that eliminates tax breaks for oil companies. Vilsack says that this, and other moves have shown us that McCain has chosen the side of the oil companies over that of the American people (19:37).

 

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“The reality is that Sen. McCain (R-Ariz.) can visit oil rigs and do photo ops all he wants, but it is pretty clear from the policies he is advocating that he is literally over the barrel when it comes to the oil industry,” said former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack. He spoke on a conference call to discuss Senator McCain’s opposition to a bipartisan energy compromise due to its rollback of tax breaks for oil companies.

Vilsack also said that McCain’s opposition to the compromise shows that he has chosen the side of oil companies over the American people, and that he is only open to policies that will help these organizations. Conversely, Vilsack says that Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-Ill.) plan would roll back these tax breaks and give this money to the middle class in order to assist them with sky-high energy costs.

Vilsack said that by instituting policies that push renewable energy, he was able to create more jobs and stimulate the economy for the state of Iowa, as well as make more money available to schools and other programs. He also challenged McCain’s image as a ‘maverick’ who fights corrupt businesses and said, “I think it’s time for McCain to be accountable for the decisions he is making.”

Federico Peña, the former Secretary of Transportation and Secretary of Energy for President Clinton, says that by idly standing by in Congress for the past 26 years, John McCain has contributed to the creation of this energy prices that he blames Washington for creating (:28).

 

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“Senator McCain (R-Ariz.) is not going to help solve this energy crisis, because frankly he helped create it”, said Federico Peña, who served as both the Secretary of Transportation and Secretary of Energy under President Clinton. Peña spoke on a conference call to discuss McCain’s energy strategy, calling it “more of the same”.

Peña went on to say, “[McCain] blamed our dependence on foreign oil on the inaction of politicians in Washington, but he’s been there for the past 26 years and he did very little.” He also said that McCain has talked endlessly about drilling in the protected parts of our country like the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), despite reports from the Bush administration’s energy department that have shown drilling there would only reduce oil costs to Americans by a few cents. In addition, Peña said the energy department estimated that the small decrease in price would not come about at all until the year 2030.

Peña also attacked McCain’s plan for energy independence by saying that any reduction in price caused by increased production from the United States would be met with OPEC nations reducing their levels of production of oil to keep prices high. As such, he advocates investing in renewable sources of energy that are not subject to price fluctuations determined by foreign governments.