House passes Clean Energy, Security Act on The Murfreesboro Post

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House passes Clean Energy, Security Act

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Posted: Saturday, June 27, 2009 1:24 pm

The U.S. House passed an energy bill Friday that will create jobs in new industries and put the United States on a clear path toward energy independence, U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon announced.

“I have given this legislation a lot of thought, and I am convinced it will not only benefit working families in Middle Tennessee, but is essential to our region’s economic future,” said Gordon. “Jobs have been leaving our country and most of them aren’t coming back. This bill will create new industries in the energy sector for blue-collar workers. These new industries will have a ripple effect, creating new additional businesses that will supply parts and create even more jobs.”

The House-passed bill, the American Clean Energy and Security Act, will regulate carbon dioxide pollution, invest in developing a 21st Century energy grid, and most importantly, provide incentives for the development of renewable energy industries.

“Nissan’s Smyrna plant and the new solar-technology plants in Clarksville and Cleveland, Tennessee are examples of the new energy industries this bill will bring about,” said Gordon. “Each plant will create thousands of new direct and indirect jobs. Nissan is a great example. Its new electric car plant will employee 1,300 people, but supply companies – the primary metal, electrical equipment, and plastics companies – will open up shop in the surrounding communities, and they are estimated to create more than 9,000 additional jobs.”

During the last few months, numerous statistics have been used and misused to describe the cost of the bill’s provisions. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) analyzed the bill passed by the House today, and concluded it would cost $175 a year for families at its height in 2020, or about $15 a month. These estimates did not include savings that will come from upgrades to the energy grid, more efficient homes, and advanced appliance efficiency standards. As stated in the CBO report, “Households would bear costs but ultimately would receive equivalent benefits.”

“Other countries are developing these clean energy industries right now – solar, wind, hydro, and others,” added Gordon. “They recognize current energy sources are limited – they are going to run out. If we don’t act now, years down the line, our foreign dependency will just switch from petroleum-based products to new energy resources that we could have created right here in our country. This bill will put us on track to finally declare our energy independence.”

The House-passed energy bill is supported by a wide coalition of organizations that includes energy companies, business (small and large), labor groups, as well as conservation groups. It will now move to the Senate for consideration.

Tagged under Congress, Gordon

Member Opinions:

By: miller811 on 6/27/09
It is time for Bart to Depart.
This was a tax bill. Bart does not listen to the voters, but he will be hearing it loud and clear on election day 2010.

great job, Bart.

By: mw71314 on 6/28/09
One more step for socialism.
Incase anybody is interested the goverment hasn't guessed (opps I mean predicted)correctly anything to do with money or the economy yet.

By: Tori0723 on 6/28/09
Bart assumes the people of the 6th district are stupid. Perhaps he doesn't realize that the cost of doing business in an area supplied by coal fired energy plants will double under this bill, but most of the rest of us do. Those 9000 jobs he talked of... look for them in Mexico and China. Let's outsource Bart's job while we're at it.

By: Farmall on 6/29/09
Why can't we just call this the Global Warming Bill, oh thats right the globe stopped warming so we have to call it climate change instead.

By: miller811 on 6/29/09
I attended the Tea Party today in Nashville, you should be pleased to know that there plenty of people with Anti Bart signs who attended. They are planning a local tea party in Murfreesboro in two weeks on the square...

Let's send a message loud and clear to Bart.
Bart it is time for you to Depart..
The party is over...
not even Nancy or Barack can save you this time. And you will not run unopposed from the Republican side.

See you on election day...

By: spanky on 6/29/09
WOW !! Passed it huh ?
Can you spell B R O K E....

By: Farmall on 6/30/09
"That sucking sound" is jobs leaving this country.

By: thmcra09 on 7/1/09
They did not read the bill before voting on it. It will raise electric bills and lead to telling you how much energy you can use.