{"id":2656,"date":"2007-12-19T10:18:00","date_gmt":"2007-12-19T16:18:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nmpolitics.net\/index\/2007\/12\/most-of-n-m-delegation-hails-approval-of-energy-bill\/"},"modified":"2007-12-19T10:18:00","modified_gmt":"2007-12-19T16:18:00","slug":"most-of-n-m-delegation-hails-approval-of-energy-bill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/2007\/12\/most-of-n-m-delegation-hails-approval-of-energy-bill\/","title":{"rendered":"Most of N.M. delegation hails approval of energy bill"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>All members of the New Mexico<\/st1:place><\/st1:state> delegation except U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce<\/a> supported a bill the president signed this morning mandating the first increase in vehicle fuel economy in 32 years. <\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

The House approved the final version of the bill on Tuesday by a vote of 314-100, and President Bush<\/a> was accompanied by Sens. Jeff Bingaman<\/a>, chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and Pete Domenici<\/a>, the committee\u2019s ranking member, when he signed it today. Bingaman had a major hand in drafting the legislation, which the Senate approved last week on a vote of 86-8.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u201cAfter many years of struggle, we are enacting needed and long-overdue requirements for more fuel-efficient vehicles and more energy-efficient appliances, especially for lighting,\u201d Bingaman said following House approval on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Domenici, who played a major role in crafting the final version of the bill, agreed.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u201cToday is a historic day in our quest to reduce dependence on oil, particularly from foreign sources,\u201d he said in a statement released after Bush signed the bill. \u201cWhile many of us on both sides of the aisle didn\u2019t get everything we wanted in this bill, I believe that this legislation reflects the right priorities.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

The bill boosts mileage requirements to 35 miles per gallon by 2020, which would increase by 40 percent today\u2019s 25-mpg average among automobiles in America<\/st1:country-region><\/st1:place>. It\u2019s the first time Congress has raised the standard since 1975.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

The bill also requires a dramatic increase in ethanol use by 2022 and places new efficiency requirements on appliances, light bulbs and commercial and government buildings.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Bush said today that the bill \u201cwill help American consumers a lot\u201d by diversifying the nation\u2019s energy supply and reducing costs. While introducing members of Congress who were present at the bill-singing ceremony, he singled out Domenici.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u201cLooking pretty handsome, isn\u2019t he?\u201d the president said about the retiring senator.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

After the bill-signing ceremony, Bush shook the hands of other members of Congress who were present, but took the time for a hug and photo with Domenici.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Senate candidates explain votes<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Pearce, who like the state\u2019s other representatives is running for Domenici\u2019s Senate seat, blasted the bill in a floor speech before voting against it on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen America<\/st1:place><\/st1:country-region> is facing the highest energy costs in a generation, we are here today with a bill that contains plenty of mandates, but no new energy,\u201d he said. \u201c\u2026Our economy needs an expanded domestic energy supply. We need more clean domestic natural gas, we need to open our lands to renewable energy development, we need to utilize our domestic oil reserves and we need to develop more affordable, carbon-free nuclear energy.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

He also decried the cost of the \u201cgreater conservation\u201d mandated by the bill.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u201cThis bill mandates more expensive cars, more expensive light bulbs, more expensive air conditioners, heaters and refrigerators,\u201d he said. \u201cWhile these mandates may conserve energy for the Americans who can afford them, we need a growing economy in America<\/st1:place><\/st1:country-region> to ensure that Americans can afford the costs of these new, mandated appliances.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson<\/a> said in a statement released by her office Tuesday that she also supports \u201cmaintaining domestic oil and gas production and initiatives for clean coal and new nuclear power sources,\u201d but said those goals and the requirements enacted in the bill she voted for on Tuesday \u201care not mutually exclusive.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u201cThis bill sets reasonable standards for expanding the supply of renewable fuels, and I support the increases in fuel economy standards,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Rep. Tom Udall<\/a> said in a statement released by his office Tuesday that he was disappointed a renewable electricity standard wasn\u2019t included in the bill and that tax incentives for use of renewable energy were blocked by the Senate, but \u201cthis legislation demonstrates that the new leadership in Congress will fight for the tough changes that must be made.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u201cA federal (renewable electricity standard) would help unleash the renewables revolution that is long overdue in this country,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s unfortunate that a minority in the Senate chose to obstruct passage of such an important and historic measure.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

More deliberating <\/span>to com<\/span>e<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

But there\u2019s more deliberation to come on this issue. Bingaman promised to push again next year for provisions that were stripped from this bill before it was approved.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026 advances in areas like renewable electricity and a forward-looking energy tax policy will not be blocked forever,\u201d Bingaman said. \u201cAmericans overwhelmingly favor these reforms. We will be back next year to vote on them, and we will keep up our advocacy until Congress finally catches up to the American people.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Udall said he is committed to enacting a renewable electricity standard in the future.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u201cI will continue working with my colleagues to make (a renewable electricity standard) the law of the land,\u201d Udall said. \u201cIn the meantime, I strongly support the energy legislation that the House passed (Tuesday). It represents a crucial first step towards a more sustainable energy policy.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Domenici, who blocked the renewable electricity standard in the Senate, said it was important to note \u201cthis bill does not contain provisions that the House originally proposed which would have increased energy costs for consumers, both at the pump and in their homes. The Senate was correct to reject those measures, and it is because we did that this bill will soon become law.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Wilson<\/st1:city> said she was \u201cpleased the Senate, under the leadership of Senator Domenici, removed the excessive taxes on the oil and gas industry that would have threatened jobs in New Mexico<\/st1:place><\/st1:state> and increased home-heating and travel costs.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Pearce called for a dramatic expansion in the nation\u2019s domestic energy supply and an increased focus on the development of biomass.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u201cWhile this bill will require more ethanol from biomass, it shuts out rural forest communities from developing biomass plants as part of the solution,\u201d he said. \u201cThis bill prohibits bio-fuels from the largest domestic source of biomass \u2013 federal lands with unhealthy and overgrown forests.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Third Congressional District candidate Don Wiviott<\/a>, a Democrat, said in a news release that Congress needs to do more. He was the only congressional candidate in the state to send out a release about the bill\u2019s approval on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u201cThe energy bill in Congress is a good first-step, but it is only that \u2013 a first step,\u201d Wiviott said. \u201cNow that we\u2019re moving in the right direction, we must pick up the pace and make up for lost time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wiviott said as a congressman he would \u201ccall for an Apollo-like project to develop strategies and technologies that will help us combat global warming and move towards energy independence.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

All members of the New Mexico delegation except U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce supported a bill the president signed this morning mandating the first increase in vehicle fuel economy in 32 years. The House approved the final version of the bill on Tuesday by a vote of 314-100, and President Bush was accompanied by Sens. Jeff […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2656","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2656","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2656"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2656\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2656"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2656"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2656"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}