Issue Position: Energy

Issue Position

America needs a bold new energy policy for the 21st century that creates jobs, strengthens our national security by reducing our dependence on foreign oil, and addresses the very real threat of global warming.

I am championing an initiative in Congress called the New Apollo Energy Project that will do exactly that. The New Apollo Energy Project will marshal the resources of the federal government to support the development, manufacture, and deployment of new clean energy technologies in the United States.

We're calling this program the New Apollo Energy Project to evoke the bold challenge President John F. Kennedy posed to our nation in 1961 -- to put a man on the moon within the decade. By harnessing the same can-do spirit of the American people, The New Apollo Energy Project will help us tackle some of the world's toughest problems.

This national endeavor will accomplish three goals:

* Create millions of new, high-wage American jobs in the clean energy industry
* Reduce our dependence on Middle Eastern oil and strengthen our national security
* Address global warming and pollution by significantly reducing greenhouse gas and other harmful emissions

The New Apollo Project will accomplish these goals through an innovative combination of policies that provide incentives for American businesses to develop new technologies and leverage the buying power of the federal government to create an immediate market for their innovations.

The Stone Age did not end for lack of stones, and the oil age will not end for lack of oil. Contrary to what the Bush Administration argues, moving beyond oil will not hurt our economy -- our dependence on oil will. With just 3% of the world's reserves and 25% of demand, we cannot drill our way out of our dependence. Nor can we count on the Saudi royal family to make our economy strong -- we need to take control of our own energy future.

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