Energy Bill Fine Print Betrays Laudable Purpose

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. DOGGETT. Madam Speaker, this energy bill's fine print betrays its laudable purpose. The real cap is on the public interest, and the trade is from the public to polluters. It is too weak to spur new technologies and green jobs.

An Administration analysis shows that doing nothing actually results in more new renewable energy electricity generation capacity than approving this bill.

Vital authority for the EPA is stripped, but two billion additional tons of pollution are authorized every year forever. Residential consumer protection is incredibly entrusted to the mercy of utility companies. Exempting 100 new coal plants and paying billions to Old King Coal does indeed leave him ``a merry old soul.''

This bill is 85 percent different from what President Obama proposed just a few months ago. No wonder that his Budget Director called this type of legislation ``the largest corporate welfare program ..... in the history of the United States.''

Until greatly improved, until families share in the billions this bill grants powerful lobbies, I cannot support it.

END TRANSCRIPT

Source