THE PRESIDENT:
Good morning. American families and small businesses across the
country are feeling the pinch from rising gas prices. If you're trying to
meet a family budget or a payroll, even a small change at the pump can
have a big impact.
America's prosperity depends on reliable, affordable and secure sources
of energy. And today our energy needs are growing faster than our domestic
sources are able to provide. Demand for electricity has grown more than 17
percent in the past decade, while our transmission ability lags behind.
And we continue to import more than one-half of our domestic oil supply.
In the coming days and weeks I'll talk more about what we need to
do in Washington to make sure America has an energy policy that reflects
the demands of a new century. The first order of business is for Congress
to pass an energy bill. Next week Congress begins debate on energy
legislation and they need to send me a bill that meets four important
objectives:
First, the energy bill must encourage the use of technology to improve
conservation. We must find smarter ways to meet our energy needs, and we
must encourage Americans to make better choices about energy consumption.
We must also continue to invest in research, so we will develop the
technologies that would allow us to conserve more and be better stewards
of the environment.
Second, the energy bill must encourage more production at home in
environmentally sensitive ways. Over the past three years, America's
energy consumption has increased by about 4 percent, while our domestic
energy production has decreased by about 1 percent. That means more of our
energy is coming from abroad. To meet our energy needs and strengthen our
national security we must make America less dependent on foreign sources
of energy.
Third, the energy bill must diversify our energy supply by developing
alternative sources of energy like ethanol or biodiesel. We need to
promote safe, clean nuclear power. And to create more energy choices,
Congress should provide tax credits for renewable power sources such as
wind, solar, and landfill gas. We must also continue our clean coal
technology projects so that we can use the plentiful source of coal in an
environmentally friendly way. The bill must also support pollution-free
cars and trucks, powered by hydrogen fuel cells instead of gasoline.
Finally, the energy bill must help us find better, more reliable ways
to deliver energy to consumers. In some parts of the country, our
transmission lines and pipelines are decades older than the homes and
businesses they supply. Many of them are increasingly vulnerable to events
that can interrupt and shut down power in entire regions of the country.
We must modernize our infrastructure to make America's energy more secure
and reliable.
Every source of power that we use today started with the power of human
invention, and those sources have served us well for decades. Now it's
time to apply our knowledge and technology to keep the American Dream
alive in this new century. There is nothing America cannot achieve when we
put our mind to it. And I urge Congress to work out its differences and
pass an energy bill that will help make America safer and more prosperous
for the years to come.
Thank you for listening. |