| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NOVEMBER 21, 2003 4:06 PM | CONTACT: Natural Resources Defense Council Karen Wayland 202-513-6241 Rob Perks 202-302-1220 |
"Americans owe a great debt to the courageous Democrats and Republicans who held steadfast this morning to stop the Bush administration-sponsored energy bill. Instead of setting America on a path to energy security, this bill would reward polluting energy companies with billions in subsidies. Americans ultimately would pay twice for this bill--with our pocketbooks and with our health.
"The number one reason we need a comprehensive national energy policy is to reduce our dangerous dependence on foreign oil by investing in cleaner, safer ways to power America. On that score, this bill is a miserable failure.
"We need a 21st Century energy policy that promotes energy conservation, provides more power from clean, renewable sources and tackles global warming. This energy bill not only fails to deliver on that promise, it would take us backward by relying mainly on 19th Century oil and coal technology.
"Congress should kill this bill, and we applaud the senators from both sides of the aisle who took a stand today."
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