Thread: White House says energy bill the top legislative priority th

[My comment - not jobs? Hellooooo?]

White House says energy bill the top legislative priority this summer
By Michael O'Brien - 06/16/10 09:21 AM ET

Passing an energy bill will be President Barack Obama's top legislative priority this summer, White House deputy press secretary Bill Burton said Wednesday.

The president's main focus will shift to working toward a comprehensive energy bill once the Congress finishes up work on Wall Street reform, a process that is expected to conclude this month.

"I would say that just in terms of timing, obviously, financial regulatory reform, that goes first," Burton said during an appearance on the liberal Bill Press radio show when asked if energy would be the top legislative priority for the White House.

"After we get through that, yes," Burton added.

Obama underscored the need for energy legislation Tuesday night during his Oval Office address, saying he's open to all approaches that would help transition the U.S. toward using renewable, clean energy sources.

"So I’m happy to look at other ideas and approaches from either party -– as long they seriously tackle our addiction to fossil fuels," Obama said. "But the one approach I will not accept is inaction."

The House passed a climate change bill a year ago, and senators have been put on notice to expect to focus on energy legislation this summer. But even Democrats in the majority have had trouble agreeing on what that bill should look like — namely whether or not it should include measures to rein in climate change, or stay focused on supporting renewable energy and adding regulations to prevent the kinds of accidents that resulted in the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

The focus on energy marks something of a pivot in the administration's strategy for the summer, though. In April, Obama told Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.), with whom he meets Wednesday in the Oval Office, that immigration reform legislation was "coming down the pike."

The focus on energy also adds to a busy summer schedule for lawmakers, who want to pass more long-term extensions to federal benefits programs and the Disclose Act campaign finance reform bill and, in the Senate, work to confirm Solicitor General Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court. All that action comes against the backdrop of this November's midterm elections in Congress, in which Republicans hope to pick up a number of Democratic seats, maybe enough to take over one or both houses.

http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/677-e2 ... his-summer

Crap and traitor again!!!!!!

Kathyet

More of the Wealth transfer scheme made up by the communists.

Got this from Harry Reid in an email response about the crap and traitor...crap

name removed

Dear

Thank you for contacting me about the Environmental Protection Agency's regulation of harmful pollutants. I appreciate hearing from you.

Our nation is at a crossroads when it comes to our energy security. It is unacceptable that America sends $1 billion per day overseas to buy foreign oil, with some of that money going to our oil-rich enemies. Our addiction to oil is hurting our economy, and it is endangering our national security. The United States consumes roughly 25 percent of the world's oil, but only has 3 percent of the world's oil reserves. Even if oil companies were permitted to explore and drill for oil and gas on any federal land they wish, America would still be dependent on foreign oil. In order to end our addiction to foreign oil, we must increase our renewable energy production, improve the energy efficiency of buildings and appliances, develop cleaner burning alternative fuels, and improve vehicle fuel efficiency.

As you may know, in 2007, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a landmark decision that the Clean Air Act gives the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the authority to regulate greenhouse gases as air pollutants, paving the way for EPA to regulate greenhouse gases. Following this Supreme Court case, EPA, with the Department of Transportation, has issued rules that will raise vehicles' Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards and set vehicle greenhouse gas standards as well as a rule that will regulate only the nation's largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions, such as large power plants and refineries, while excluding entities such as small farms, restaurants, and commercial facilities.

On January 21, 2010, Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) introduced a joint resolution (S.J.Res. 26) disapproving the EPA endangerment finding. If passed, this resolution would increase our oil use by at least 455 million barrels, with a bonus of $50 billion extra being given to big oil companies, and probably several billion more barrels will be wasted. It would also fail to create any new American jobs. This is why I will oppose S. J. Res. 26.

I believe that the most effective way to reduce our nation's greenhouse gas emissions is through a comprehensive climate and clean energy bill, which will create strong incentives for clean energy and will put a price on carbon. Senators John Kerry (D-MA) and Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) recently released draft legislation (American Power Act) that has received the support of many of the nation's energy companies and utilities. This bill would institute a nationwide system for reducing carbon and investing in clean energy, barring the state-by-state approach that makes it difficult for utilities and energy producers to operate across state borders. It would also prevent command and control regulation of greenhouse gas emissions by the Environmental Protection Agency. Additionally, it aims to protect consumers by giving at least two-thirds of all revenue that doesn't go towards reducing the deficit directly back to consumers to offset any increases in energy prices. This bill is a very good first step towards passing legislation that will help Americans take back the control of our energy economy. I hope my colleagues from both sides of the aisle will come together to work on improving and passing this bill over the coming months. Until this legislation is officially introduced, the text of the draft bill is available at Senator Kerry's website, http://kerry.senate.gov/.

Again, thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with me. Please know that I will keep your thoughts in mind as the Senate continues its work on climate and clean energy legislation over the coming months. I look forward to hearing from you in the near future.

My best wishes to you.

Sincerely,
A
HARRY REID
United States Senator
Nevada


HR:sb

They will try and ram this through...infact I believe they will try and ram anything and everything they can ram through before November elections and until they are thrown out....

kathyet

War Powers=dictatorship

States Constitution, Article 1, only Congress shall make federal law. However, since the War and Emergency Powers Act of 1933, every president has usurped lawmaking powers. Their 'laws' are called Executive Orders (EOs). These EOs, not our Constitution, are what is governing America today. The War and Emergency Powers Act enables ... the president to declare a national emergency, and thereby become a dictator."[1]

Since March 9, 1933, the United States has been in a state of declared national emergency. In fact, there are now in effect four presidentially-proclaimed states of national emergency: In addition to the national emergency declared by President Roosevelt in 1933, there are also the national emergency proclaimed by President Truman on December 16, 1950, during the Korean conflict, and the states of national emergency declared by President Nixon on March 23, 1970, and August 15, 1971.
http://www.rallye-pointe.com/em_powers.htm