Energy Bill Passes Senate: Coleman, Klobuchar Support
Friday, June 22, 2007 at 8:24 am
- 4 Comments
A comprehensive energy bill that would toughen fuel efficiency standards passed the U.S. Senate on Thursday night with broad support, including the votes of Minnesota’s senators.
The CLEAN Energy Act of 2007 passed the Senate by a 65-27 margin. It now will go to a conference committee to be reconciled with the version that passed the House of Representatives in January.
The Senate bill provides for a variety of subsidies for renewable energy, as well as a 40 percent increase in Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards, which will be phased in during the next 13 years.It also increases energy standards for new homes and criminalizes price-gouging by oil companies, a provision that has prompted a veto threat from President Bush.
Republican Sen. Norm Coleman and Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar backed the bill, and both supported a number of amendments to increase funding for biofuels. Minnesota’s senators diverged on some votes for the bill; Coleman voted for several amendments that would have allowed for the construction of more refineries and natural gas terminals, while Klobuchar opposed those proposals. Coleman also voted against an amendment offered by Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., which provides for the study of the environmental impact of renewable fuel manufacturing. That amendment was adopted.
4 Comments
Comment posted June 22, 2007 @ 9:01 am
Of Coarse God forbid we build any more refineries! No need to help bring down the price of fuel by increasing the supply….hell, that might actually make sense! We all know that won’t fly in the “reality based community”!
Comment posted June 22, 2007 @ 12:11 pm
More fuel efficiency = more driving = no reduction in oil dependence Don’t these legislators think that if we increase fuel economy, and the auto makers actually achieve it, that people won’t just drive farther/more, perhaps not reducing our foreign oil dependence at all? The only want to reduce foreign dependence is to source it at home or invent some new technology that doesn’t require a foreign fuel.
Comment posted June 22, 2007 @ 4:01 am
Of Coarse God forbid we build any more refineries! No need to help bring down the price of fuel by increasing the supply….hell, that might actually make sense! We all know that won't fly in the “reality based community”!
Comment posted June 22, 2007 @ 7:11 am
More fuel efficiency = more driving = no reduction in oil dependence Don't these legislators think that if we increase fuel economy, and the auto makers actually achieve it, that people won't just drive farther/more, perhaps not reducing our foreign oil dependence at all? The only want to reduce foreign dependence is to source it at home or invent some new technology that doesn't require a foreign fuel.
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