Washington, DC (April 22, 2008) – Rep. Rep. Rubén Hinojosa (D-TX) today celebrated Earth Day and pledged to continue his work in Congress to protect the environment, fight global warming and spur a cleaner, more prosperous economy for the people of South Texas.
“We have a solemn responsibility to protect our planet and ensure we all have clean air to breathe and clean water to drink,” said Hinojosa. “We have taken key steps forward, but much more work remains and I will continue to fight to protect our environment for future generations. We must remain steadfast in our efforts to preserve our unique natural heritage.”
Democrats recently passed landmark legislation that addresses the global warming crisis while creating new green collar jobs, cutting energy costs and helping end our dependence on foreign oil.
The historic Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 has been signed into law and will increase vehicle fuel efficiency standards, which could help save American families hundreds of dollars per year at the gas pump. New building, appliance and lighting efficiency standards included in the new law will save consumers $400 billion through 2030. Additionally, the new law will help save 5.3 billion metric tons in energy-related CO2 emissions from 2008-2030 and cut the growth in energy-related emissions of CO2 by 10 percent.
As the nation’s largest producer of wind energy, Texas in particular is set to gain from the bill’s unprecedented investment in clean technologies and wind energy. Texas farmers who grow crops for biofuel production will also reap the benefits included in this ambitious legislation.
“Throughout our history, America has prospered thanks to an abundant supply of affordable energy. But if we want to remain a global leader, we cannot continue to take these resources for granted,” Hinojosa said. “We must find new ways to fuel our economy so that our future competitiveness does not suffer.”
Democrats are also working to enact new legislation that will encourage investments in renewable energy and create hundreds of thousands of good-paying green collar American jobs. The Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2008 would invest in clean, renewable energy and promote energy efficient technologies. The bill extends and expands tax incentives for renewable electricity, energy and fuel, as well as for plug-in hybrid cars, and energy efficient homes, buildings, and appliances. The solar investment tax credit in this legislation alone will reduce carbon emissions by 240 million tons, or the equivalent of taking 52 million passengers cars off the road for one year.
“For too long, our energy policy has been out of touch with the economic, environmental, and geopolitical realities that America faces,” Hinojosa said. “Democrats recognize the need to diversify our energy supply, invest in clean energy, and better protect our economy. We are moving our country on the path toward energy security and providing much-needed aid to Texas consumers and entrepreneurs.”
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