DEMOCRATS’ PROMISES: MAKING AMERICA ENERGY INDEPENDENT

DEMOCRATIC PROMISE #16: Lower Gasoline Prices
Promise: “Democrats have a plan to lower gas prices…join Democrats who are working to lower gas prices now.” – Then-Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Press Release, April 19, 2006

Broken Promise: “The average price of gasoline hit $3.218 a gallon Monday, up a stunning 11.5 cents the past week and just half a penny shy of the inflation-adjusted record, the government reported. The average is almost certain this week to pass the inflation-adjusted high of $3.223, recorded in May 1981 by the Energy Information Administration.” – “Average Gasoline Price Nears 1981 Average,” USA Today, May 22, 2007. Democrats have been in power for six months, and gas prices have gone up, not down.

DEMOCRATIC PROMISE #17: Make Energy Reform a Top Priority
Promise: “Democrats promise to hit the ground running on energy issues if they win control of the House or Senate. Responding to voters’ concerns about $3-a-gallon gasoline and the soaring cost of home-heating oil, Democratic leaders in both chambers have ranked energy as one of their top priorities for the next Congress.” – “Energy Reserving a Front Burner,” National Journal, September 9, 2006

Broken Promise: “House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) issued a clear directive soon after Democrats took control of Congress this year, promising a comprehensive energy and climate change bill on the House floor by the Fourth of July. But with five legislative work weeks to go before that deadline, House Democrats are still left with the task of cobbling together a bill from as many as 11 committees…As for the deadline itself, a House Democratic aide close to the process said the package will not arrive on the House floor before the July Fourth recess.” – “Energy Policy Moving on Multiple Fronts,” Energy & Environment Daily, May 18, 2007. Six months after Democrats took power in Congress, no comprehensive energy reform has even been passed by the House, much less sent to the President.

DEMOCRATIC PROMISE #18: Make Global Warming a Top Priority
Promise: “The most urgent environmental issue facing us today [is] global warming.” – Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) “A New Direction for America,” Page 9

Broken Promise: “Pelosi Says Global Warming Bill Might Wait Until Next Year” – Headline, CongressDaily PM, June, 1, 2007

DEMOCRATIC PROMISE #19: Eliminate Reliance on Foreign Oil
Promise: “To free America from dependence on foreign oil, we will achieve energy independence for America by 2020 by eliminating reliance on oil from the Middle East and other unstable regions of the world.” – Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) “A New Direction for America,” Page 6

Broken Promise: During the first six months of the Democrat-controlled Congress, no energy independence legislation has been passed by the House, much less sent to the President’s desk. But 228 Democrats voted to impose more than $6.5 billion in new taxes on small and independent American energy producers, which will lead to less domestic supply, higher prices for consumers, and an increase in America’s dependence on foreign sources. – Roll Call Vote #40, January 18, 2007

DEMOCRATIC PROMISE #20: Invest in Alternative Fuels
Promise: “Besides encouraging the biofuel market and infrastructure, it also aims to encourage coal-to-liquids as an alternative fuel through the U.S. military’s purchasing power. The majority leader said the bill is complementary to the rural working group’s biofuels act and has the support of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman John Dingell, D-Mich.” – “US Rep Hoyer: $15B Energy Bill Outlines House Democrats’ Plans,” Dow Jones, March 1, 2007

Broken Promise: “The coal-to-liquids amendment showcased the difficult debate ahead for Democratic leaders as they try to craft multiple bills this year dealing with energy and global warming. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calf.) is not an advocate of coal-to-liquids plants…” – “Coal-to-Liquids Vote Caps House Energy Markup,” Environment & Energy Daily, June 21, 2007

DEMOCRATIC PROMISE #21: Redirect Energy Dollars Toward Domestic Production
Promise: “Our New Direction will send our energy dollars to the Midwest, not to the Middle East.” – Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) “A New Direction for America,” Page 9

Broken Promise: “The Rahall energy bill proposes a systematic stripping of provisions from the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct) that aimed to increase access for new energy development on federal lands.” – “Independent Oil Producers Ally With Wind Against Rahall’s Energy Bill,” Energy Washington, June 6, 2007

DEMOCRATIC PROMISE #22: Expand Renewable Energy
Promise: “Double the percentage of renewable fuels sold in America. Make sure that… cellulosic sources, such as switch grass are a key part of that increase.” – Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) “A New Direction for America,” Page 10

Broken Promise: “Currently, according to the ethanol industry’s list of producers in the United States, none of the ethanol comes from cellulosic… and even if commercial plants can be built, the process may still prove too expensive to compete with corn ethanol.” – “Will Cellulosic Ethanol Take Off?” Technology Review, February 27, 2007

DEMOCRATIC PROMISE #23: Make America More Competitive on Energy
Promise: “Democrats stand for… finding meaningful solutions to our energy crisis. We will make America more competitive and not heap mountains of debt on future generations.” – Then-Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Press Conference, June 16, 2006

Broken Promise: “The main challengers to U.S. economic power – Brazil, Russia, India and China – have overtaken the United States in dominating the global energy industry, according to a new study by Goldman Sachs.” – Study: “‘BRICs’ Overtake U.S. in Energy,” Associated Press, Tuesday, June 26, 2007. House Democrats weakened U.S. energy competitiveness by voting to repeal the American-energy production initiatives crafted by Republicans as part of the 2005 Energy Policy Act and instead replacing them with new bureaucratic roadblocks that undermine efforts to increase domestic energy supplies for consumers in the future. – Roll Call Vote #40, January 18, 2007

DEMOCRATIC PROMISE #24: Research & Development for American Energy Security
Promise: “We have a strong commitment to research and development.” – Then-Minority-Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Press Conference, September 7, 2006

Broken Promise: As part of the FY 2008 Interior Appropriations bill, Democrats voted to eliminate the Ultra-Deepwater and Unconventional Natural Gas Research and Development Program created by Republicans in 2005 and utilized by petroleum engineers at 23 major research universities and four non-profit research institutions. – H.R. 2463, FY 2008 Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, Roll Call Vote #579, June 27, 2007

DEMOCRATIC PROMISE #25: Expand Renewable Energy Sources
Promise: “Senate Democrats. . .are renewing their effort to require electric utilities to produce more power from renewable sources such as wind and solar. . . [M]any House Democrats. . .are on record supporting a renewable standard. . .House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. . . ‘believes that we need to increase the amount of electricity that comes from renewables in the United States above where we are today,’ a Pelosi aide said.”– “Senate Democrats See Opening for Renewable Standard,” Congressional Quarterly Green Sheets, May 25, 2007

Broken Promise: “Wind energy advocates say the [House Democrats’] bill could significantly cripple the burgeoning industry, and they brand the measure ‘anti-wind.’ A release from the American Wind Energy Association last month said the [House Democrats’ ] plan could ‘essentially outlaw’ the generation of electricity from new wind power plants in the United States.” – “A Pesky proposal for Wind Power Plants,” Associated Press, June 4, 2007

DEMOCRATIC PROMISE #26: “Energize America” Through Energy Independence
Promise: “Democrats will energize America by declaring energy independence … That is our commitment.” – Then-Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Annual 2006 Take Back America Conference, June 14, 2006

Broken Promise: During their first six months, House Democrats have declared only that they are incapable of governing when it comes to matters such as energy policy. Instead of passing comprehensive legislation as promised to make America less dependent on foreign energy sources, House Democrats have offered legislation that would make energy independence more difficult by “dissuad[ing] U.S. refiners from investing billions to expand refining capacity to meet rising demand. Instead of lower prices. . .the legislation could cause higher prices by unintentionally capping or restricting domestic refinery capacity.” – “Wrong Direction,” Houston Chronicle Editorial, June 24, 2007

DEMOCRATIC PROMISE #27: Promote Coal Technology
Promise: “As the U.S. chases larger oil supplies, we are failing to notice the flashing neon signs pointing to the potential of our most abundant domestic energy resource – coal. Liquefaction and gasification technologies are available right under our noses. They are being used with success by some of our most assertive foreign economic competitors who recognize the folly of dependence on oil and are doing something about it. It’s time we did as well.” – Then-Ranking Member of the House Resources Committee, Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV), Press Release, April 26, 2006

Promise: “With a nation hard and fast on a petroleum diet for decades to come brought forth by the pending legislation, the widespread commercialization of coal-to-liquids technology to fuel our vehicles will continue to be an elusive goal. I have never forsaken the coal miners in my Congressional District, and I am not about to do so now.” – Then-Ranking Member of the House Resources Committee, Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV), Floor Statement, June 29, 2006

Broken Promise: “Republicans also may offer an amendment to boost coal production to put [now-House Resources Committee Chairman] Rahall in a tough spot, the aide said. Rahall represents a coal-mining district but his bill does not address coal.” – “House GOP Plans Amendments to Counter Rahall Energy Bill,” Dow Jones Newswire, June 6, 2007. In fact, Chairman Rahall opposed several amendments to promote coal technology that are in the best interests of his own district.

DEMOCRATIC PROMISE #28: Increase Biofuels Sold in America
Promise: “It is a comprehensive and innovative plan, and it fuels our economy while fueling our cars. We will increase the amount of biofuels sold in America; encourage independent and locally-owned facilities to produce biofuels so they can compete with Big Oil; increase the number of vehicles that run on ethanol and makes biofuels more readily available to consumers at the pump; and invest in research and development to improve the use of renewable energy.” – Then-Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Press Release , May 11, 2006

Broken Promise: “The [Senate] energy bill, approved late Thursday, would require usage of 36 billion gallons of biofuels by 2022, about six times the amount of fuel ethanol that U.S. motorists will use this year. The road ahead in the House is not clear. The House Energy and Commerce Committee is to take up an energy bill Wednesday, but the panel has put off until this fall its plan to require higher usage of alternative fuels, which would include coal-derived fuels as well as ethanol. Liberal Democrats objected to the inclusion of coal fuels that fail to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.” – “Biofuels Focus Moves to House,” DesMoines Register, June 22, 2007

DEMOCRATIC PROMISE #29: Buck Special Interests on Energy
Promise: “‘We made history and now we will make progress for the American people,’ [Speaker-Elect Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)] said. ‘We will not be dazzled by money and special interests.’” – “Hoyer Wins House Majority Leader Race, Giving Pelosi First Setback,” Fox News, November 16, 2006

Broken Promise: “Powerful Interest Groups Stymie Democrats’ Energy Bill.” – Headline, CNN Politics, June 18, 2007

DEMOCRATIC PROMISE #30: Make July 4 “Energy Independence Day”
Promise: “We’ll make this Fourth of July energy independence day...” – Speaker-Elect Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Press Conference, May 9, 2007

Broken Promise: “The House energy bill has devolved into a heated internecine battle that threatens to spoil Democrats’ hopes of passing an overhaul of energy policy by July 4.” – “Pelosi Vs. Dingell Heats Up; Energy Tension Rises at Meeting,” Roll Call, June 13, 2007. House members will depart for the Fourth of July district work period without passing energy independence legislation of any kind.