Issue Position: Energy Independence and Homegrown, Clean-Energy Jobs

Issue Position

Reducing our dependence on foreign fuels is key to our economic and national security. Investing in the clean-energy / green sector will create significant jobs right here in Southern Indiana. We have the natural resources, workforce and universities to be a leader in this field. Let's seriously invest in jobs that cannot be shipped overseas.

I have worked on several pieces of legislation to move this country toward real energy independence:

* I authored the bill that increases fuel economy standards for the first time in thirty years.
* I have introduced a bill to go after oil speculators to stop wealthy investment firms from artificially driving up the price of oil.
* I have also supported legislation to stop price gougers, suspend filling the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, and allow our government to fight back against foreign oil consortiums.

In addition to these immediate responses, we must also have a long-term solution. I have supported bills to increase research into alternative fuels including ethanol, cellulosic ethanol, and biodiesel. I believe that if we open up areas for drilling, we should use that money to further the development of alternative energy and achieve energy independence.

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