GOP Votes for Increases in Fossil Fuel, Nuclear Money, Cuts Funding for Renewables and Energy Efficiency

WASHINGTON (July 15, 2011) – Between trying to eliminate energy-saving light bulbs and websites that educate kids about energy efficiency, House Republicans still managed this week to increase funding for fossil fuel and nuclear interests while cutting investments in clean energy in their energy and water spending bill for next year.

Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) offered one of several Democratic amendments to shift fossil fuel and nuclear energy money to energy efficiency and clean energy, yet the budget for energy efficiency and renewable energy programs fall in the bill by $2 billion below the president’s request, representing a 40 percent cut. Meanwhile, total outlays for fossil fuel and nuclear energy programs increased.

Below is the statement of Rep. Markey, the Ranking Member of the Natural Resources Committee:

“The GOP is unequivocally telling Americans that their plan is to retreat from wind power, solar power, other clean energy sources and energy efficiency technologies. There can be no more talk about a Republican ‘All of the Above’ energy plan after passage of this legislation, which exposes the GOP as the Gas and Oil Party.

“The Republican energy plan represented in this bill is to cling to the fossil fuel past, and fight against an American-made clean energy future.

“Today, OPEC is rejoicing. Saudi Arabia and Venezuela couldn’t be happier to see America waving the white flag on alternatives to oil.

“Now that Republicans are finished battling energy efficient light bulbs, maybe they will focus that energy on finding a light at the end of the tunnel with the debt limit negotiations.”

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