Supporters of taxpayer subsidies of new nuclear power through almost unlimited loan guarantees, failed to get the bailout of nuclear power into the U.S. House of Representatives' Energy Bill. It was passed without the subsidies. Now Pete Domenici (R-NM) is trying to include $25 billion of taxpayer loan guarantees into the 2008 appropriations bill.

Please call your Congressmembers, even if you have done so before, and tell them not to accept any federal loan guarantees for nuclear power for FY 2008. Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121. Your calls and actions have played the pivotal role in stopping the loan guarantees in the energy bill—but now we all need to act again.

Action: Energy Bill Needs Push in the Senate

In the next two weeks, Congress has an opportunity to approve and send to the president an energy bill that would be a crucial next step toward reducing this country's dangerous oil dependence and greenhouse gas emissions.

The energy bill the House is scheduled to approve this week is expected to include several provisions for which FCNL has been lobbying for months. But a number of senators are opposing a key provision which would require electric utilities to produce at least 15 percent of their electricity from renewable energy. Senate opponents and the White House are now pushing the House to drop this requirement from its bill.

At the same time, world leaders are gathered in Bali, Indonesia, to try to reach agreement on how to cooperatively avert harmful, extreme climate change. And the Nobel Committee is preparing to confer its peace prize on former Vice President Al Gore for his work to prevent harmful climate changes.

Congress has an opportunity to show that the United States takes the threat of climate change seriously and is ready to take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and make a strong commitment to increasing energy efficiency and expanding renewable energy. Congress should pass legislation that

• Requires that a minimum of 15 percent of the electricity generated in the United States comes from renewable resources by 2020.
• Mandates that the fuel economy standards for cars and light trucks be raised to at least 35 miles per gallon by 2020;
• Sets the strongest minimum standards for energy-efficient buildings, appliances, and lighting; and
• Expands tax incentives for energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy production.

Sending legislation to the president with these provisions would be an important down payment on efforts to prevent dangerous climate change and reduce U.S. oil dependence.

Take Action

Please urge your senators to vote for an energy bill that includes a requirement that at least 15 percent of the electricity generated in this country comes from renewable energy and that increases the fuel economy standard for cars and light trucks to 35 miles per gallon by 2020.

If the strongest provisions from the House and Senate energy bills (H.R. 3221 and H.R. 6, respectively) were enacted, fully funded, and implemented, the U.S. could reduce its cumulative greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 44 percent below current projections by 2030, according to an analysis from the group Environmental Defense. The bill being considered by Congress this week probably won't go that far; the legislative process has already watered it down. But the bill still could make an important down payment toward reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in the United States.

In the Senate, 60 votes will be needed to move the energy bill to the floor for a vote. While the Senate approved an energy bill (H.R. 6) last June by a vote of 65 to 27, this bill did not include a renewable electricity standard, because the leadership was concerned that it could not get the necessary 60 votes.

A strong renewable electricity standard would boost the production of clean, renewable energy sources such as wind, biomass, geothermal, and solar power, while creating jobs, saving consumers money, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The fuel economy provisions would be the first increase in fuel economy standards in over 30 years. The bill would raise the average fleet-wide standard to 35 mpg by 2020, and replace the current standards with an attribute-based system that gives the auto industry tremendous compliance flexibility by allowing for different mileage requirements per vehicle size. This long overdue improvement in gas mileage would save 1.2 million barrels of oil a day in 2020, save consumer $25 billion, and substantially reduce global warming pollution.

The increased energy efficiency incentives and standards would not only save consumers and businesses money, but would also reduce global warming pollution. The bill would set aggressive goals for strengthening state building energy efficiency codes, adopt beneficial reforms to Department of Energy authority to issue energy efficiency standards for appliance and equipment products, and establish new efficiency standards for products such as light bulbs, dishwashers, and clothes washers. The lighting standard alone would reduce global warming pollution by 100 million metric tons in 2030 relative to Department of Energy projections, according to American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy estimates.

Write your senators today.

Contacting Legislators

Contact your members of Congress through FCNL's web site.

Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121

Sen. ________
U.S. Senate

Washington, DC 20510

Rep. ________
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

Contact the President through FCNL's web site.

White House Comment Desk:

202-456-1111
Fax: 202-456-2461
White House web site

President George W. Bush
The White House
Washington, DC 20500