July 29, 2005

STATEMENT ON PASSAGE OF THE ENERGY BILL

Arthur Stamoulis, Director of Government Affairs:

“Pennsylvanians want lower energy prices, stronger national security and a cleaner environment. The energy package just passed misses the mark on all three counts.

“If Congress thinks they’re off the hook for energy policy with this sorry piece of legislation, they have another thing coming. Despite years of work and billions of dollars in tax subsidies, this bill solves none of the pressing energy problems that Americans are facing.

“Rep. Fitzpatrick deserves a lot of credit for standing up to Republican Party leadership as a freshman Congressman and voting against this pork-barrel legislation. It’s a shame more of Pennsylvania’s delegation didn’t follow his lead.”

Clean Air Council is a statewide environmental organization.

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The Energy Policy Conference Report passed in the U.S. Senate this afternoon by a vote of 74 to 26. It passed in the House on Thursday by a vote of 275 to 176.

VOTED FOR ENERGY BILL: Sens. Specter and Santorum. Reps. English, Hart, Peterson, Gerlach, Weldon, Shuster, Sherwood, Kanjorski, Murtha, Doyle, Dent, Pitts, Holden, Murphy and Platts.

VOTED AGAINST ENERGY BILL: Reps. Fattah, Fitzpatrick and Schwartz.

NOT VOTING: Rep. Brady.