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, D.C. – A series of Republican amendments designed to correct numerous problems in a controversial Democratic “energy bill” were defeated by the Democratic Majority during a Natural Resources Committee markup today.

            The Republican amendments would have protected the American public from the higher energy prices and increased foreign energy imports which result from the legislation - the so-called “Energy Policy Reform and Revitalization Act of 2007” (H.R. 2337), which was introduced by U.S. Rep. Nick J. Rahall II, the Chairman of the Committee.

            The controversial Rahall bill was approved by a 26 to 22 vote.

“Passing this bill was a tragic mistake,” said U.S. Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), the Ranking Member of the Natural Resources Committee.  “Today, we saw the Republican Members vote yes for several important protections for the American public and time and time again the Democrats walked in lockstep to vote down these common sense amendments.

“It is inconceivable to me that they would blindly vote against such important amendments that would have benefited their Congressional districts and their home States.

“Americans already pay too much for too much foreign energy when we have ample supplies at home.  This bill will make it worse.  It’s a shame the Democratic Majority has decided to ram this ill-conceived bill down the throats of the American public.”

“The Rahall bill should be called the ‘Chinese Full Employment Act’ or the ‘Venezuelan Dictatorship Funding Act’, because we are going to ship our jobs overseas and buy all of our energy from foreign countries that hate us,” said U.S. Rep. Stevan Pearce (R-NM), the Ranking Member of the Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee.  â€œIt cripples our ability to move forward on renewable and alternative energy to the point that all we’ll have left to burn is coal.  I realize West Virginia might benefit from that, but it would serve the country to have a wide variety of energy sources.”

Republicans Tried To Protect American Consumers

. . . But Democrats Voted Them Down

Americans Will Pay More For Energy

Republican Amendment:  Rep. Bill Sali (R-ID) offered an amendment to protect Americans from the increase in energy costs created by the Rahall legislation.

The Democrats instead voted against protecting the American public from the new consumer energy increases.

No Protections Against Increase In Energy Costs & Foreign Imports

Republican Amendment:  Rep. Stevan Pearce offered an amendment to remove the sections of the Rahall bill that will cause: 1) a decrease in domestic energy production; 2) an increase in consumer energy costs; and 3) an increase in foreign energy imports.

The Democrats instead voted against these protections.

Two Trillion Barrels Of Shale Oil Will Be Locked Up

Republican Amendment:  Rep. Chris Cannon (R-UT) offered an amendment to allow for the continued availability for the production of two trillion barrels of shale oil in Utah and Colorado.

The Democrats instead voted to lock up the two trillion barrels available in Utah and Colorado.

Western States Will Lose Important Oil & Gas Royalty Revenues

Republican Amendment:  Rep. Stevan Pearce (R-NM) offered an amendment to protect royalty revenues important for Western States that will be lost because of the Rahall bill’s decrease in domestic oil and gas production.

The Democrats instead voted to cut these vital royalty revenues for Western States.

National Forests Will Be Tinderboxes & Biomass Program Now At Risk

Republican Amendment:  Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) offered an amendment to protect several years of research and millions of dollars that have been spent researching biomass to reduce catastrophic forest fires.

The Democrats instead voted to remove the existing and successful biomass grant program in favor of a much more restrictive pilot program that returns the biomass research back to phase one.

For more information, access the Committee on Natural Resources’ Minority website at:

http://republicans.resourcescommittee.house.gov/index.shtml

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