Bill Hommel III's Page

Dear William,

Thank you for contacting me regarding renewable energy. I appreciate hearing from you on this important issue. In order to protect our environment, our economic progress, and our national security, we must encourage the increased use of renewable energy and increased energy efficiency.

In the Senate, I have strongly supported efforts to expand the use of renewable energy. On December 13, 2007, I voted for a comprehensive Senate energy bill (H.R. 6) which will help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by raising energy efficiency standards for lighting, appliances, and government buildings; increasing the renewable fuel standard from 8.5 billion gallons in 2008 to 36 billion gallons in 2022; and setting strong but reasonable Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards. On December 19, 2007, the President signed the bill into law.

During consideration of H.R. 6, I supported efforts to establish a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) requiring that 15 percent of the country's electricity come from renewable sources by 2020. Enactment of an RPS would promote energy diversity, stimulate significant job creation, and deliver substantial environmental benefits. Unfortunately, the Senate rejected a motion to include an RPS in the bill.

I have also consistently supported the extension of renewable energy tax credits. During debate on H.R. 6, I supported a proposal to repeal nearly $13 billion in tax breaks for oil and gas companies over ten years and use that money, among other things, to provide multiyear extensions of tax credits for wind and solar projects, as well as promote energy efficiency. I was disappointed the Senate narrowly rejected a motion to include this tax plan in the bill.

I voted to include clean energy tax incentives in H.R. 5140, the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008; however, the final version of H.R. 5140, which was signed into law on February 13, 2008, did not include the critical clean energy tax incentives. I also supported S. 2821, the Clean Energy Tax Act, which would extend $6 billion in critical renewable energy tax incentives. S. 2821 was included as an amendment to H.R. 3221, known in the Senate as the housing and mortgage relief bill, which passed the Senate on April 10, 2008, by a vote of 84-12.

As you may know, H.R. 6049, the Energy and Tax Extenders Act of 2008, was introduced by Representative Charles Rangel (D-NY) on May 14, 2008. This bill would extend or re-establish tax incentives to support renewable electricity production, biofuels production, transportation efficiency and conservation, buildings efficiency, and equipment efficiency. H.R. 6049 passed the House on May 21, 2008 by a vote of 263-160. I am disappointed that a minority of Senators chose to block Senate consideration of this important legislation and I look forward to future consideration of legislation to provide long-term extensions of vital renewable energy tax credits.

Thanks again for contacting me. Please feel free to do so in the future on this, or any other issue of concern to you.