Historic U.S. House Energy Bill Fuels Momentum for Action

AUSTIN—A major draft bill released today by Energy & Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Energy & Environment Subcommittee Chairman Ed Markey (D-MA) sets the stage for Congress to pass historic energy and global warming legislation, according to Environment Texas. 

The draft bill uses a framework advanced by major U.S. businesses.  

“This is a pragmatic bill that tries to balance a historic opportunity to unleash clean energy to rebuild our economy and stop the climate crisis, with the diversity of views on the Energy & Commerce Committee,” said Environment Texas Director Luke Metzger.

The draft bill sets standards to repower America with clean energy, including a requirement that the nation obtain 25 percent of its electricity from renewable sources, like wind and solar power, by 2025.  The draft bill also requires the United States to reduce its global warming emissions by 30 percent below 2005 levels by 2020 through a combination of domestic action and efforts to help stop tropical deforestation.

“First and foremost, we applaud the draft bill’s strong clean energy standards that will transform our economy and the strong pollution-reduction requirements that reflect the latest climate science.”

At the same time, Environment Texas expressed concern about “high levels of carbon offsets in the bill, which provide less-certain reductions in emissions, and large subsidies, including funds from ratepayers, for still-unproven carbon capture and storage technology.” 

“As the House Energy Committee considers this bill, we strongly urge Representatives Gene Green and Charlie Gonzalez to support a strong bill that repowers America with clean energy, helps rebuild our economy, and solves global warming.”