PREVIEW: HOUSE ENERGY FIGHT

Vermont's Senator Sanders said it best at Senator Boxer's subcommittee hearings last week with the big utilities: The American people are WAY ahead of their elected representatives on renewable energy issues.

House energy bill rejects car fuel economy boost
Tom Doggett and Chris Baltimore, June 28, 2007 (Reuters via Yahoo News)

WHO
U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., chairman, and Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, ranking Republican; House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Maryland,
the arena

WHAT
The final provisions included in the package of considerations the upcoming House fight will turn into its version of an energy bill

WHEN
Legislation approved June 28 and passed to House for consideration.

WHERE
U.S. House of Representatives, Capitol Building, Washington, D.C.

WHY
11 bills in one energy package passed 33-21--
- an increase of efficiency requirements for clothes washing machines, dishwashers, refrigerators and freezers and lighting
- government funding to develop plug-in hybrid vehicles and biofuels but lower fuel economy standard’s than the Senate proposal (though Speaker Pelosi aims for the Senate’s provisions)
- a reduction of 8.6 billion tons of CO2 = all the cars now on U.S. roads
you are here (click to enlarge)

QUOTES
- Dingell: "We're going to consider it in the fall, and we're going to have a good bare-knuckle fight…"
- Barton: "If we're going to have a debate on CAFE, this is the time to do it…"
- Hoyer: "CAFE ultimately will be a part of the bill…"
- Dingell: "Today is an important step on a path toward achieving our goal of developing a broad, bipartisan energy bill that Congress can approve, industry and environmental groups can live with, and the president can sign…The Congress should, must and will regulate CO2. I will continue to create a bill that does not place unfair burdens on one single group, industry or community…"