Issue Position: Energy

Issue Position

Issue Position: Energy

For the past five years, skyrocketing energy prices have adversely affected almost every angle of the American economy. Consumption both domestically and abroad has significantly increased, and these new demands have driven up the price of crude oil and gasoline, as well as many goods and services.

Congressman Murtha has long advocated moving away from our dependence on foreign oil and developing alternative fuel technologies. A diversified energy supply, generated here at home, will reduce costs to consumers and improve the environment. He believes that we must invest in more efficient energy usage that will modify existing products, like energy efficient light-bulbs, to save energy and cost.

Many years ago, he began to secure funding for initiatives like coal-to-gas and coal-to-jet-fuel conversion, fuel cell technologies, and wind energy. These initiatives have shown promising results. A coal-to-jet-fuel program started at Penn State University has helped the U.S. Air Force test synthetic fuels in current airframes. Cambria County has the largest fuel cell test and evaluation center in the United States, testing fuel cells for both transportation and power systems. In 2005, Congressman Murtha helped attract Gamesa, a Spanish windmill manufacturer, to Western Pennsylvania through an initiative to develop wind power at remote military bases. By using wind energy, military installations will be able to diversify their energy production and lower their costs.

On December 19, 2007, H.R. 6, the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 was signed into law. The law included provisions to combat oil market manipulation; raise the fuel economy standards for automobiles for the first time in over 30 years by requiring cars and trucks average 35 miles per gallon by 2020; and significantly promote the use of more affordable American biofuels. The House of Representatives also passed legislation that would repeal $14 billion in subsidies given to Big Oil companies that are raking in record profits while Americans are being pinched at the pumps. The legislation would also create a Strategic Renewable Energy Reserve to promote energy technologies, efficiency, and conservation.

Over the past year, the U.S. House of Representatives has passed legislation to address rising gas prices. Congressman Murtha voted to authorize the U.S. Justice Department to investigate and punish those wholesalers and retailers who artificially inflate the price of gasoline during times of peak demand or emergency. Congressman Murtha also voted in May 2008 to temporarily suspend the fill of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) until the end of the year in order to provide a reduction in gas prices for American consumers.

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