The comprehensive Democratic plan expands domestic production of oil and gas and renewables to increase our security, ends subsidies to the oil companies, promotes good jobs here in America, and requires oil companies to pay what they owe to taxpayers. It puts us on the path toward energy independence and a clean green energy future through greater energy efficiency and conservation, and protects consumers through strong action to lower the price at the pump.

First and foremost this bill aims to lower costs to consumers and protects taxpayers by making oil companies pay their fair share for drilling on public lands, repealing tax subsidies for the largest oil companies, and releasing oil from the strategic petroleum reserve, which has previous lowered gas prices immediately for consumers.

Creating a renewable energy future and creating American jobs by providing tax incentives for renewable energy is a cornerstone of the bill. Utility companies will be required to generate 15% of electricity from renewable sources, such as wind power, biomass, wave and solar energy by 2020. We will create a Strategic Renewable Energy Reserve to invest in clean, renewable energy resources and alternative fuels, promote new energy technologies, develop greater efficiency and improve energy conservation.

Expanding our domestic energy supply will have to become a part of the solution. Under our bill, the federal government would allow additional offshore drilling in a responsible and safe manner in waters that are 100 miles or further from our coastlines. States will have the right to say ‘yes or no’ to responsible offshore drilling in waters between 50 miles and 100 miles from their coastlines. The new legislation would protect states' coastlines out to 50 miles, and would permanently protect sensitive areas such as national marine monuments and sanctuaries.

Efficiency and conservation will remain a top priority. The bill with strengthen energy efficiency regulations for buildings to bring down costs. This could save consumers $210 billion. Incentives for energy efficient homes and reductions in transit fares will also be included.

Rep. Miller statement on the Comprehensive Energy Bill

We have a serious problem. Our nation is addicted to oil. Oil companies make record profits while the rest of us pay record prices at the pump. Global warming grows worse. And our security remains at risk. Soaring oil prices are hurting consumers and the entire economy -- from drivers, to the airline and trucking industries, to the cost of food.

President Bush and the majority of his supporters in Congress have one response -- drill for more oil off our protected coastlines. But that’s not a solution, it is effort to disguise this Administration’s failed energy policy, the result of having two men from the oil industry running the White House for the past seven and a half years.

Here’s one way to understand the President’s offshore drilling plan -- the average family in California would pay $140,000 for gasoline before they would see one penny in relief at the pump. That’s because new offshore oil production will do little to bring down gas prices, but it would jeopardize pristine and invaluable coastlines that are critical to the economies of California and other states -- and in the decades it would take for new offshore oil drilling to produce any oil, we would continue to pay ever higher prices at the pump.

According to a 2007 report by the federal Energy Information Administration, new offshore drilling “…would not have a significant impact on domestic crude oil and natural gas production or prices before 2030. Leasing would begin no sooner than 2012, and production would not be expected to start before 2017…Because oil prices are determined on the international market, however, any impact on average wellhead prices is expected to be insignificant.”

I support a comprehensive energy plan to provide immediate relief at the pump and long-term solutions through investments in new technology, new sources of energy and fuels, efficiency, and conservation that will help reduce our dependence on oil.

The President should release a small portion of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to immediately expand available oil supplies and reduce prices. There are 700 million barrels of oil in the reserve; the President could safely and easily release 70 million barrels between now and December.

The House just approved the “use it or lose it” bill to compel oil companies to drill on existing leases or lose their right to the leases. Oil companies hold leases to over 68 million acres of federal lands and offshore areas that are open for drilling right now but where no drilling is taking place.

I support legislation to curb oil market speculation that is partially responsible for price spikes. The Energy Markets Emergency Act, which the House has passed, directs federal regulators to use all available authority and emergency tools to curtail excessive speculation and other practices distorting the energy market.

We must continue to invest in renewables, efficiency and conservation. I voted to repeal $14 billion in subsidies and tax breaks for the largest oil companies and to invest that money instead in clean renewable energy and alternative fuels and energy efficiency. In one of the most hard-fought and significant victories of the new Democratically-led Congress, we forced the President last December to sign into law a bill that increases gas mileage standards for the first time in 25 years, saving American families $700 to $1,000 per year at the pump. The new law also ensures that buildings, homes, appliances, and lighting are more energy efficient, and makes an historic commitment to renewable fuels, with the majority of the biofuels expansion coming from non-food crops.

We cannot drill our way out of this crisis – just ask T. Boone Pickens, who made billions in the oil industry and is now backing wind power. But a combination of efforts – from changing our individual driving and energy consumption habits to bold policy changes and investments – can cut our energy consumption while simultaneously strengthening the economy, combating global warming, creating new green jobs, and lowering our energy costs. In the meantime, we should release oil from the strategic reserve and pursue drilling in the areas where leasing is already safely allowed.

Under President Bush’s energy plan, the average family in California would pay $140,000 for gasoline before they would see one penny in relief at the pump.

The President’s plan to open protected coastlines to offshore oil drilling would not yield any price relief until the year 2030 and even then any relief would be "insignificant," according to the federal Energy Information Administration.

In that time, the average California family with two cars would spend $139,846 out of their own pocket for the price of gas at today’s prices.

The President has no answer to record high gas and energy prices. Calling for drilling off the coast of California and in other precious areas is a stunt to distract people from his failed energy policy. Record high gas prices are the result of having the White House run by two men from the oil industry who opposed every effort to break our addiction to oil.

Democrats in the House are taking action now to lower energy prices and reduce our dependence on oil.

The Democratic Plan: A Comprehensive Energy Solution

1. The President should release oil from our strategic reserves. I just met with the CEO’s of three major airlines who endorsed our call to release oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

2. Oil companies should start to drill now in the more than 68 million acres of already leased onshore and offshore areas or lose their right to drill on those lands. I voted for the DRILL act, HR 6515, to compel oil companies to drill on leased lands and in the National Petroleum Reserve.

3. Investing in renewable energy and alternative fuels, efficiency, and conservation should remain a top priority for Congress.

4. Take responsible steps to crack down on speculation in oil markets that are driving prices up beyond the impact of supply and demand.

We need a comprehensive solution, not a Presidential political stunt.