May 12 2010

Graham on the American Power Act

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) made this statement on the introduction of the American Power Act.

"I have enjoyed working with Senators Kerry and Lieberman to create a new model for our nation in the areas of energy independence, job creation, and providing Americans with the cleanest air and purest water on the planet.

"When it comes to our nation's policy on energy independence and pollution control, I don't believe any American finds the status quo acceptable. Many senators from both parties have stated that Congress should set energy and carbon pollution policy, not the EPA. I could not agree more.

"While I have not seen the changes made by Senators Kerry and Lieberman to the final product, I look forward to reviewing their proposal in regards to offshore drilling, the transportation sector, and other issues.

"I believe the broad concepts we came up with before are transformational and are the most consumer and business-friendly effort to date in dealing with carbon pollution. Most importantly, they can serve as a framework in allowing America to lead in the creation of alternative energy jobs and significantly reducing our dependency on foreign oil. With these goals in mind, I am interested in carefully reviewing the details of the new proposal.

Offshore Drilling, American-Controlled Sources of Energy, and EPA Regulation
"Abandoning drilling and fossil fuels is not a realistic option. However, it is imperative that we pause to find out what led to the historic oil spill in the Gulf and ensure that it never happens again. The reality still remains that fossil fuels will be required in America for decades to come.

"The percentage of foreign oil we consume in the United States continues to grow, with almost half coming from OPEC nations. It is better, from a national security perspective, to break our dependence on foreign oil by safely exploring for domestic oil and gas. We must begin to transform our economy and begin the process of becoming energy independent as soon as possible. I want America to lead the world in the coming energy revolution, not follow.

The Path Forward
"I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to improve upon these concepts and find a pathway forward on energy independence, job creation, and a cleaner environment. We should move forward in a reasoned, thoughtful manner and in a political climate which gives us the best chance at success. The problems created by the historic oil spill in the Gulf, along with the uncertainty of immigration politics, have made it extremely difficult for transformational legislation in the area of energy and climate to garner bipartisan support at this time."

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