Ending Fossil Fuel Subsidies

Invest in a Clean Energy Future by Ending Fossil Fuels Subsidies

Earlier this month, President Obama called on Congress to repeal the $4 billion annual subsidies we give to oil companies, and they are scheduled to vote on doing so today.

Congress "can either stand up for oil companies, or they can stand up for the American people," the President said in a recent Weekly Address. "They can either place their bets on a fossil fuel from the last century, or they can place their bets on America’s future."

Investing in an all-of-the-above energy strategy—one that relies on domestically produced oil and gas, clean renewable resources like wind and solar power, and new technologies that help us use less energy altogether—requires the putting the right incentives in place.

Instead of subsidizing the fossil fuels of the last century by giving away $4 billion of taxpayer money each year to oil companies that are more profitable than ever, we should be investing in a clean energy future—especially when gas prices are high and drivers, whose budgets are already stretched thin, are feeling the pain at the pump.

President Obama explained earlier this month in New Hampshire:

“We want to have successful oil companies that are able to get the oil that we have in our country, but we also understand that our future requires us to make investments in clean, renewable energies.  And that has to start now.  We can’t wait.  We can’t wait until gas has skyrocketed more and people are desperate.  We need to start making those investments now.”

RNC Releases New Web Video: “Obama on Empty”

WASHINGTON - The Republican National Committee (RNC) released a new web video "Obama on Empty" showcasing the Obama administration's incompetent energy policy. Amid rising gas prices and numerous policy flubs, Energy Secretary Chu believes that he deserves an 'A' for job performance-but the American people have a different opinion.

The web video can be viewed here and downloaded here.

"Barack Obama's energy strategy has been a complete disaster," said RNC Chairman Reince Priebus. "So, this week, he's jetting around the country to try and explain his so-called 'all of the above' policy, which is nothing more than paying lip-service to Americans while saying no to the Keystone pipeline and giving taxpayer handouts to corporate cronies like Solyndra.

"As families and small businesses struggle because of rising gas prices, Barack Obama and his administration are nowhere to be found. This week, Energy Secretary Chu doubled down on the ridiculous assertion that he somehow deserves an 'A' for controlling gas prices. For too long, Barack Obama has left the American people on empty. It's time to change direction this November."

Infographic: Obama and Gas Prices

Today, the President received a new progress report, showcasing the Administration’s historic achievements in pushing for an all-of-the-above approach to American energy – a strategy aimed at reducing our reliance on foreign oil, saving families and businesses money at the pump, and positioning the United States as the global leader in clean energy.

Check out the report and view the infographic that highlights the Administration's commitment to American energy.

Get the Facts: Our Dependence on Foreign Oil is Declining

America's dependence on foreign oil has gone down every single year since President Obama took office. In 2010, we imported less than 50 percent of the oil our nation consumed—the first time that's happened in 13 years—and the trend continued in 2011.

 

We're relying less on imported oil for a number of reasons, not least that production is up here in the United States. In fact, America is producing more oil today than at any time in the last eight years.

 

Despite all this, Americans are still paying more at the pump when we fill up. That's because drilling for more oil here at home won't affect the price of gas on its own.

 

So we have to do more than drill now to bring down prices for the future. Relying on the fossil fuels of the last century won't be enough, especially as demand keeps increasing. We need an all-out, all-of-the-above strategy that develops every available source of American energy.

 

This is the strategy President Obama has been pursuing since he took office, but there's still more to be done.

Weekly Address: An All-Of-The-Above Approach to American Energy

President Obama talks about how important it is to embrace an all-of-the-above approach to addressing our nation’s energy challenges.

 

Watch the weekly address.

A Blueprint for American-Made Energy

In his 2012 State of the Union Address, President Obama laid out a Blueprint for an America Built to Last, underscoring his commitment to an all-of-the-above approach that develops every available source of American energy. The President’s plan calls for the safe and responsible development of domestic oil and natural gas resources, support for a wide range of clean energy technologies, and new initiatives to increase the energy efficiency of the industrial sector to make American manufacturing more competitive. For more information about President’s plan, take a look at our fact sheet.

 

A few days after the State of the Union Address, the President took to the road to highlight how natural gas can play a larger role in our transportation sector. The President visited Las Vegas, Nevada to tour a UPS depot that hosts natural gas-powered trucks. The depot is less than a mile from a new natural gas refueling station in Las Vegas, which was developed jointly by the Department of Energy, South Coast Air Quality Management District, UPS, and Clean Energy Fuels.  The new refueling station will make it possible for trucks to drive from Long Beach to Salt Lake City, powered entirely by American natural gas.

 

The President also traveled to Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora, Colorado to talk about his “all-of-the above” energy strategy. The President underscored his commitment to clean energy and discussed the Administration’s plans to:  expand the development of renewable energy on public lands; push for a Clean Energy Standard: and work with the Department of Defense to purchase enough clean energy to power 250,000 homes a year. The President also emphasized the importance of improving energy efficiency by helping manufacturers and businesses upgrade their facilities, which could save the U.S. manufacturing sector $100 billion over the next decade.

These actions represent just a snapshot of the Administration’s efforts to promote clean energy.

Weekly Update from Rep. Denham

Dear Friend,

The national unemployment rate remained at 9.1% this month, underscoring the uncertainty job creators feel from expensive regulations, constant threats of tax increases and deficit spending.

I believe real savings exist that can reduce our deficit and make American businesses competitive again. We must use the resources that we have more efficiently.  Currently, there are significant savings to be found in our federal real estate; savings that even the President has agreed should be used to reduce our deficit. By streamlining our federal leasing process, reducing our federal footprint, and doing more with less we can save billions of dollars. I have introduced the Civilian Property Realignment Act (CPRA) to accomplish these goals, save taxpayer dollars, and literally shrink the size of government.

While working to identify real savings, we also need to hold government accountable for the way it spends taxpayer money. The federal government continues to want to throw money at the California high-speed rail project without concrete business plan to explain how your money is being spent. As you know, I have always been in support of the concept of high-speed rail; but, there must be a disciplined plan that ensures accountability for taxpayer dollars and instills confidence in private investors, otherwise the project should be halted. We cannot continue to throw taxpayer money at an unproven idea. The money should be put towards shovel ready projects that will get people back to work today, not 12 months from now. Today, I co-sponsored legislation introduced by Rep. Kevin McCarthy that will freeze funding to the high-speed rail in California until there is a financially sound business plan in place.

While immediate concerns about unemployment dominate the news coverage, we must remember how important a reliable water supply is in creating jobs in California. There is a direct correlation between water and jobs here in the Valley, and with consistent double-digit unemployment rates, we need to find solutions to the storage, conveyance, and regulatory problems exacerbating our state’s man-made water crisis.

Wednesday my bill, H.R.2578, which will allow the Merced Irrigation District (M.I.D.) to propose a ten-foot modification to their spillway gates at the New Exchequer Dam, passed through the House Committee on Natural Resources. The next step for the bill is the House Floor. When passed, my bill will begin to solve the regulatory problems that arise during water shortages.  Read more in my op-ed.

This week, a local Valley business, Fulton Valley Farms, announced it will be forced to close its doors as a result of the high price of feed for its chickens and 185 Californians will lose their jobs. It is projected that 40 percent of the U.S. corn crop will be used for ethanol production this year.  This means that an ever increasing amount of corn, which could be used for food and feed for livestock, is being diverted into fuel. I co-sponsored legislation introduced by Rep. Goodlatte on Wednesday to eliminate the Renewable Fuel Standards (RFS) and makes ethanol compete in a free market.  Farmers in California cannot afford to pay increased prices for feed, and with double-digit unemployment in our area, families cannot afford to pay more for groceries.

Next week, we will vote on the EPA Regulatory Relief Act to alleviate the excessive regulatory burden placed on employers by the EPA's Boiler MACT rules by replacing them with sensible, achievable rules that do not destroy jobs.  We will also bring three long-pending, job-creating free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama, and South Korea to the House Floor. These agreements would increase exports important to the agriculture industry, lower the trade deficit, and stimulate much-needed U.S. economic growth.

During the month of October, members of my district offices are holding office hours at various locations. I encourage all of you to stop by and ask any questions that you have. Check my website for office hours in your area.

I have received great feedback on the YouTube Town Hall forum and would love for you to participate. The new, interactive format allows you to submit questions for Congress and then 'vote' for the answer with which you agree. I answered the question: Given the current economic situation, why doesn't government help manufacturing in the U.S., thereby creating jobs and increasing revenue by exporting the manufactured goods? Please watch the video, and if you agree that we need to reduce regulations in order to help American manufacturers create jobs, vote to support it and encourage your friends, family members, constituents to do the same.

Thank you to everyone who has signed up to receive these weekly updates, I encourage you to let your friends and family know that this is a great way to hear about my events in the district and to keep up with activity in Congress. They can sign up to receive this email on my website.

I hope you all have a great weekend and Columbus Day!

Sincerely,

JEFF DENHAM

United States Representative

ICYMI: The Solyndra Saga

‘The Solyndra Saga: Obama Administration Put Taxpayers On Hook For Failed Venture’

Excerpts from The Chicago Tribune

Editorial

“We know the Obama administration can't get enough of renewable energy. We know it can't get enough of "shovel-ready" projects for soaking up its taxpayer-funded economic stimulus handouts. Now a colossal green stimulus failure has put Democrats on the defensive and raised the prospect of an ugly scandal.

“Solyndra Inc. was a California-based maker of advanced solar panels. Its executives talked a good game, and the company attracted substantial private investment …

“[Now,] Solyndra is bankrupt, its factory shut down and its workforce on the street. The FBI raided its headquarters earlier this month, presumably suspecting fraud …

“A series of emails between White House officials and Office of Management and Budget watchdogs suggests that Solyndra got its federal guarantees prematurely, under pressure from the Obama administration, which wanted to stage an event featuring Vice President Joe Biden announcing the guarantees at a ground-breaking ceremony. A perfect example of shovel-ready stimulus!

“But staffers reviewing the deal were voicing concerns about not having sufficient time to conduct proper due diligence on the financial underpinnings of the loans. The evidence suggests taxpayer dollars were put at undue risk for the sake of an administration photo op …

“The White House claims its communication about the project reflected merely a "quite active interest" in the outcome. Yet those explanations ring hollow in light of OMB emails referring to "rushed approvals" and "time pressure." As one note said, "There isn't time to negotiate."

“No time to negotiate on behalf of the taxpayer? That's maddening.

“There are a lot of questions around this deal. At least one investor in it was a prominent Obama fundraiser …

“Public investments … must be based on due diligence. Not big money politics. Not stimulus rollout timetables. Not sun-struck ideology …

“A nickel's worth of business sense and a dime's worth of caution might have saved Uncle Sam millions — and the Obama administration a heap of trouble.

Source: RNC

President Obama Kicks Off Economic Bus Tour

Today, President Obama heads to Cannon Falls, Minnesota at the first stop of a three day tour of the Midwest. The President will hear directly from the American people in a town hall on the vital role rural America plays in ensuring the growth of our economy, the affordability of our food, and the independence of our energy supply.

Obama Energy Policies Cost Jobs

“Sometimes, [federal] rules have gotten out of balance, placing unreasonable burdens on business—burdens that have stifled innovation and have had a chilling effect on growth and jobs.”

-- President Obama, 1/18/2011

President Obama has acknowledged that excess regulations hamper job creation and economic growth. But his flawed energy policies continue to put jobs at risk and prove, once again, that the reality of the President’s policies doesn’t match his rhetoric.

Weekly Update from Rep. Denham

Dear Friend,

 

It was an early morning on Wednesday but I hope that you were able to catch my interview about my resolution encouraging benefits for our troops on Fox & Friends.  The resolution expresses the will of Congress encouraging airlines to do the right thing and not charge our service members being deployed or returning home from service for their baggage. The resolution has over 37 bipartisan co-sponsors and is the least we can do for the men and women protecting our freedoms every day.  After the interview I posted the video on my Facebook page. Watch here. 

 

It is important for all of us to keep the troops overseas and their families in our thoughts and prayers. We owe it to them to outline a clearly defined mission and strategy for their involvement as well as what their exit strategy will be.  As a small gesture, I dropped off sunflower seeds & beef jerky for the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs care packages we sent to our service members in Afghanistan today.  These might seem like odd gifts but when I was deployed I looked forward to getting both because they reminded me of home. I will continue to keep our troops in my thoughts as we head towards the Fourth of July holiday. 

 

As you probably heard, the debt limit negotiations were stalled this week. The negotiations could not continue until there is an agreement on taxes. Leader Cantor made it very clear this week that tax increases cannot pass the House, and raising taxes is exactly the wrong move in this tough economic climate. We are all going to need to work together to turn our economy around in a fiscally responsible way that will protect the future for our kids and grandkids. 

 

With double-digit unemployment rates and consistently high gas prices in our district, now is not the time to sit back and watch. We must act.  I believe that the House Republican plan for jobs is the right start to driving small business growth and turning our economy around. 

 

As part of the American Energy Initiative, this week the House approved H.R. 2021, the Jobs and Energy Permitting Act of 2011, by a vote of 253-166.  The legislation would eliminate needless permitting delays that have stalled important energy production opportunities off the coast of Alaska.   This, coupled with the three energy bills I co-sponsored and that passed the House, is projected to create over 1.2 million American jobs.  Developing our natural resources is critical to our local economic development. We must harness the natural resources we have, timber and water, in order to put people back to work. Double-digit unemployment is unacceptable. 

 

As Chairman of the Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management Subcommittee, I announced that I'll be holding a follow up hearing to ensure that there are consequences for the Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) mismanagement of its independent leasing authority.   After the first hearing I was left with no answers and to be honest, was at a loss for words at the lack of answers I received from the witnesses.  There must be accountability and consequences for this type of cavalier spending of taxpayer money. Read more about the hearing on my Facebook page. 

 

I wanted to give a special shout out to the teachers from Stanislaus County who met with me on the Capitol steps this week. And thank you to Noreen Mansuri for coming to my office and telling me about her visit to D.C. with the Congressional Youth Leadership Council. I posted photos on my Facebook page. It was a pleasure meeting all of you and I hope you enjoyed your time in the Capitol! 

 

Thank you also to everyone who came to the mobile office hours this week in Mariposa, Oakhurst and Oakdale. My staff is always eager to answer any questions that you may have. We have many more lined up throughout the summer, be sure to check out the information on the events page on my website. http://denham.house.gov/events 

 

I encourage all of you to visit my official facebook page, "Representative Jeff Denham." If you "like" the page you will be alerted to photos, videos and updates throughout my weeks in the district and back here in D.C. 

 

I'll be in the district next week and I hope to see you around. 

Sincerely,

JEFF DENHAM

United States Representative

LEDs in North Carolina, Solar Panels in California

Last week, the President traveled to Durham, NC to meet with his Jobs and Competitiveness Council at the corporate and U.S. manufacturing headquarters of Cree, a leading manufacturer of energy efficient LED lighting. The President toured Cree’s manufacturing facility and highlighted Cree as an example of leading the clean energy revolution as well as the comeback in American manufacturing.

And on Friday, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, California Governor Jerry Brown and Bureau of Land Management Director Bob Abbey participated in a groundbreaking ceremony for the Blythe Solar Power Project, the world’s largest solar energy project to be built on public lands.

President Barack Obama tours the manufacturing facilities at Cree, Inc., a leading manufacturer of energy efficient LED lighting, in Durham, N.C. June 13, 2011. With the Presient are: Chuck Swoboda, Chairman and CEO of Cree, Inc., left, and Matthew Rose, Chairman and CEO, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway, right. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)