Throughout the last decade, the United States has relied heavily on foreign suppliers to provide the majority of our nation's transportation fuels. As a result, we've been subject to extreme volatility in the marketplace. In the summer of 2008, we saw gas hit a record of $4.00 a gallon, and while prices have steadily declined, it is easy to see the fallout resulting from our nation's dependency on foreign oil. It is clear that the United States needs a comprehensive energy plan that increases our domestic energy supply, promotes renewable resources and provides incentives to reduce consumption in an effort to break our addiction to foreign oil.
Since coming to Congress I have consistently supported legislation that promotes energy independence. In the 110th Congress I voted in favor of H.R. 6899 , the Comprehensive American Energy Security and Consumer Protection Act, which took the first step towards a comprehensive energy solution, unfortunately this legislation did not make it to the Senate floor. I also voted in support of H.R. 6 , the Energy Independence and Security Act, which increased vehicle efficiency along with other energy efficiency provisions and was signed into law on December 19, 2007.
In spite of these important steps, there is more to be done. Recently, the House brought the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 to the House floor. The bill would reduce of greenhouse gas emissions and make significant changes to our nation's energy policies. While I believe it is important to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, I was disheartened to see that this bill would impose too steep a cost on the use and advancement of our domestic resources, including our area's major resource, coal. I believe that coal must and will play a major role in our nation's transition to energy independence. In Ohio, 86 percent of our electricity comes from coal. And the vast majority of that coal comes from Appalachian Ohio. Because we are located in an area of the country that heavily relies on coal to turn on the lights and heat our homes, Ohio families and energy intensive industries, like steel, will bear the brunt of the cost from this version of climate change legislation. That is why, I voted against the bill. This legislation is still being worked on by the Senate and I'm eager to see what that bill will look like.