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The Democratic “no-energy bill” that may be voted on before the end of the year will result in the loss of five million current and future American jobs and reduce the average American families’ annual purchasing power by $1,700 each year, according to a newly-released economic forecast.

            U.S. Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), the Ranking Member on the Natural Resources Committee, said the new CRA International report clearly outlines the serious damage the Democratic bill would create for American families and the national economy.  CRA International is a leading economic forecasting and consulting organization.  http://www.api.org/Newsroom/upload/API_CRA_Energy_Bill_Study_2007.pdf

            “The Republicans on our Committee spent two days fighting each and every provision of this Democratic bill, only to have the Democrats preserve the anti-energy provisions on party line votes,” Young said.  “If this travesty ever becomes law, the Democrats who supported it will have to answer to the American people.”

            The major findings of the CRA International report include:

-         By decreasing U.S. oil production and driving future energy jobs to foreign countries, the Democratic bill will result in the loss of 4.9 million current and future American jobs.

-         The new Democratic taxes on natural gas and oil production, along with additional restrictions on production, will result in a four percent decline in America’s domestic production.

-         The average American household will suffer a loss in purchasing power of $830, which will increase to $1,700 by 2030.

“In addition, the report finds that the Democratic bill will substantially increase transportation fuel costs which will further increase the costs of goods and services to all American families,” said Young, the former Chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

The Kashmir Sweater & Used Coffee Grounds Solution

            “Fortunately, the extreme environmental organizations who worked hand-in-hand with the Democratic Majority to develop the anti-energy bill have a solution of some sorts,” Young said.  “Because their anti-energy bill will add five million more Americans to the unemployment lines and millions more lower-income families won’t be able to afford to heat their homes in the winter, the Sierra Club offers some simple solutions.”

The Sierra Club Solution

On a Winter's Day

With the price of oil approaching $100 a barrel, plenty of people are going to be looking for ways to save money at the gas pump. But residents of the Northeast, where heating oil is commonly used to warm homes in winter, may see their energy bills soar too. No matter where you live, you can save money and energy this winter by following a few simple steps . . .

Temper the temperature. Turning your thermostat down just 5 degrees can cut energy bills (and pollution) by 10 percent, so keep it at 68 degrees Fahrenheit in winter, and 60 degrees or less while you sleep. Chilly? Put on a sweater or add an extra blanket to your bed.

Some cool alternatives include fireplace logs made of recycled cardboard boxes, recycled-paper briquettes, and logs made of used coffee grounds, which burn hotter and longer than wood while producing fewer emissions and less soot.

 http://sierraclub.typepad.com/greenlife/2007/11/on-a-winters-da.html

“It will be reassuring to the millions of families new to the unemployment lines and those living month-to-month on fixed incomes that those who created their dire situation have determined sleeping in a sweater and burning coffee grounds will solve their problems,” Young said.

“The Republicans, who have fought this anti-energy bill from the very beginning, offer another solution.  We must increase domestic energy production to save these American jobs and lower energy prices for all people,” Young said.

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

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

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