House Republicans Introduce American Energy Act to Help Reduce Gas Prices

Congressman John Boehner
July 23, 2008

After Congressman John Boehner (R-West Chester) and a delegation of 10 House Republicans returned from their American Energy Tour in Colorado and Alaska over the weekend, House Republicans today introduced the American Energy Act (H.R. 6566), a comprehensive measure to help reduce gas prices by harnessing new technologies, encouraging greater conservation and efficiency, and increasing American energy production in an environmentally-safe manner. House Republicans will push for an up-or-down vote on the legislation before Congress adjourns for the August recess in nine days. Boehner issued the following statement on the bill:

House Republicans have a plan to help lower gas prices by supporting more production of American energy, encouraging more conservation and efficiency, and promoting greater use of alternative fuels. Today, weve transformed our plan into a single bill that reflects our all of the above strategy. We have only nine days remaining before the August recess, and its time for Speaker Pelosi to bring this bill to the floor so Members on both sides of the aisle can give it the support we all know it would receive.

A solid majority of Americans and a bipartisan majority in Congress support more production of American-made energy to help bring down the price at the pump. For months on end, Democratic leaders have instead clung to the failed anti-American energy policies that have driven gas prices to historic levels and increased our costly and dangerous dependence on foreign sources of oil and gas. By blocking a vote on our all of the above plan to reduce energy costs, Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Hoyer, and their colleagues in the Democratic leadership are proving themselves complicit in financial crunch families feel each and every time they fill up their tanks. Congress must not adjourn for the August recess without giving the American Energy Act an up-or-down vote, and House Republicans will continue to fight to hold Democratic leaders accountable until the American people get the vote they expect and deserve.

NOTE: For more information on the American Energy Act (H.R. 6566), click here. A brief summary of the legislation follows:

To increase the supply American-made energy in environmentally sound ways, the legislation will:

• Open energy-rich Americas deep ocean resources, Arctic coastal plain, and Inter-Mountain West oil shale resources for more environmentally-safe oil and gas exploration, while removing bureaucratic red tape that hinders the construction of new refineries.

To improve energy conservation and efficiency, the legislation will:

• Provide tax incentives for businesses and families that improve their energy efficiency, including by purchasing more fuel efficient vehicles, while awarding a monetary prize to the first entrepreneur to develop an economically feasible, super-fuel-efficient vehicle (reaching 100 miles-per-gallon).

To promote alternative and renewable energy technologies, the legislation will:

• Spurring the development of alternative fuels by:

o Establishing a renewable energy trust fund using revenues generated by exploration in the deep ocean and on the Arctic coastal plain;

o Eliminating barriers to the expansion of emission-free nuclear power production;

o Permanently extending the tax credit for alternative energy production, including wind, solar and hydrogen;

o Repealing the prohibition on government purchasing of alternative energy; and

o Promoting coal-to-liquids technology.