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The National Energy Policy Report of the National Energy Policy Development Group
Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality
Prepared Statement of The Honorable Billy Tauzin
I would like to thank Chairman Barton for holding this important hearing. I would also like to thank our distinguished witness, the Secretary of Energy, the Honorable Spencer Abraham. We're here today to talk about the President's proposal for a National Energy Policy. Some have tried to criticize the President's report-unfairly I believe. Anyone who's read the report sees right away that this is a balanced, responsible proposal. The problems we're experiencing today are the result of a lack of a systematic, comprehensive approach to energy policy and our national security. It's been almost a decade since we've looked at the big picture and thought critically about reducing our Nation's energy demands and about how we're going to meet our energy needs. People have criticized the report as being an energy industry wish list. This is more appropriately called an energy consumer's wish list. This report is loaded with policies that will protect the environment, encourage efficiency, promote renewables, and ensure affordable energy for all Americans for years to come. It is refreshing that this report talks openly and honestly about how we plan to meet our Nation's energy needs. Not only does it talk about renewables and new pollutant standards, but it also talks about the source of more than half our Nation's electricity-coal. A number of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle would have to agree with me that any discussion of how we intend to meet the energy needs of the 21st century must involve coal. The questions are how do we make it cleaner and more efficient. The President's proposal answers those questions. It also talks honestly about nuclear power. Two large nuclear power plants came back on line earlier this month in California, and prices for wholesale power dropped dramatically. Ask Californians if they would like to have more nuclear power plants now. The bottom line is, this report is loaded with potentially bipartisan solutions to our Nation's long-term energy problems. Politics aside, there is a lot here that we can all agree must be done. There are very few things in this report that are controversial. I thank the Secretary and the Administration for the hard work they've done putting this proposal together. And I look forward to working with my colleagues across the aisle when considering these recommendations in a bipartisan fashion.
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