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 July 29, 2008 – The Alliance to Save Energy supports the critical energy efficiency provisions and extensions of the federal efficiency tax provisions that are included in S. 3335, the Jobs, Energy, Families & disaster Relief Act of 2008, which will be considered by the Senate this week. Additional information about the energy efficiency provisions of S.3335. A key vote is expected in the Senate tomorrow which will determine whether the tax incentives will be approved by the Senate before the August recess.
Today, Alliance President Kateri Callahan participated in a press conference, called by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, to discuss the need for and benefit to the American people of passage of such legislation:
"As we all know, today’s high energy prices are wreaking havoc on family budgets.Median household income in 2006 was less than $50,000.And the Alliance projects total energy costs for American households this year – to fuel the home and the car – will be at least $6,300.00 – fully 13 percent of pre-tax earnings.
"While these prices are hurting many, many Americans, the situation is critical for the 20 percent of American households – more than 26 million families – earning less than $20,000annually.How to pay rising energy bills this year is an uncertain and scary question for far too many.
"Congress has an obligation to help stop the erosion in the economy that is being fueled, largely, by rising energy costs; and it has an opportunity to fulfill this obligation to American consumers and businesses through swift passage of S. 3335."
Kateri's full remarks.
Others presenting remarks at the press conference included the leading authors of the legislation, Sens. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee; Alliance honorary vice-chair and chairman of the Senate Energy Committee Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.); and Finance and Energy Committee member Ken Salazar (D-Colo.). Majority Leader Reid issued a press release quoting the Alliance.
After months of partisan wrangling, the Alliance strongly urges the Senate to approve S. 3335 this week and send a signal to beleaguered American consumers that urgently needed, bipartisan energy legislation is still attainable in the remaining weeks of the 110th Congress.
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