HR 3221: the New Direction for Energy Independence, National Security, and Consumer Protection Act

The Energy Independence and Security Act

For an Energy Independence and Security Act tutorial, click here

The New Direction Congress has finalized “The Energy Independence and Security Act” -- an historic bill to make America energy independent and respond to the global warming crisis.  Congress has moved swiftly to respond to record high prices for oil; prices at the pump are more than double the price in 2001, with heating oil costs triple that of 2001.  The new law will:

•    Reduce our dependence on foreign oil 

•    Strengthen national security

•    Lower energy costs for consumers

•    Create hundreds of thousands of new jobs and strengthen our economy 

•    Reduce global warming 

The Energy Independence and Security Act:

•    Increases the fuel efficiency of vehicles to 35 miles per gallon by 2020 (CAFE), the first congressional increase in 32 years. These provisions will:
o    Save American families $700 to $1,000 per year at the pump
o    Produce $22 billion in net annual consumer savings in 2020
o    Reduce greenhouse gas emissions equal to taking 28 million cars and trucks off the road
•    Expands American-grown biofuels (Renewable Fuels Standard) to 36 billion gallons in 2022, as recommended by the House Rural Working Group
•    Slashes U.S. oil consumption by more than 4 million barrels per day by 2030– more than twice our daily imports from the Persian Gulf
•    Produces up to 24 percent of the cut in greenhouse gas emissions needed by 2030
•    Saves consumers more than $400 billion through new energy efficiency standards for appliances, lighting and buildings through 2030
•    Creates hundreds of thousands of jobs:
o    Promotes massive development of biofuels
o    Spurs cutting-edge energy research
o    Prepares workers for 3 million new “green” jobs over the next 10 years
o    Promotes small businesses as renewable energy leaders. 

Energy Independence and Security Act has won broad bipartisan support from a broad coalition of environmental, labor faith, and business communities -- because all Americans have a stake in our fight for energy independence, greater national security, expanded economic growth and jobs, and lower energy costs.

The Energy Bill is the first step in breaking the downward spiral that our dependency on oil from the Persian Gulf has created:

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE LEGISLATION: 

New Direction for Energy Independence, National Security, and Consumer Protection Act

On August 4, 2007 the House passed HR 3221, the New Direction for Energy Independence, National Security, and Consumer Protection Act.

Click here for the full text of the legislation (.pdf) >>

For more information on the Senate package, click here.

The New Direction for Energy Independence, National Security, and Consumer Protection Act draws from eleven House committees and brings wide-ranging solutions to the table—with a major effort to further address global warming on the agenda for this fall. To see a breakdown of legislation by committee, please CLICK HERE.