| Otter hails markup of House
Energy Bill
(Note: As the bill stands right now, it appears to be good news for our country and her ability to produce her own energy.) April 3, 2003 U.S. Representative C.L. "Butch" Otter First District - Idaho Contact: Mark Warbis 208-336-9831/866-0840 Washington, D.C. - Congressman C.L. "Butch" Otter said he expects the full House to act next week after he and his colleagues on the House Energy and Commerce Committee wrapped up work early Thursday morning on sweeping energy legislation aimed at making America more secure and self-sufficient. During a markup session that began Tuesday morning and continued until 1:30 a.m. Thursday, Otter protected Idaho jobs by fending off anti-nuclear energy amendments and fighting to preserve reforms to hydroelectric dam relicensing. He worked successfully throughout the markup process and during behind-the-scenes meetings to shield rural electric cooperatives and municipal utilities in Idaho from excessive and unreasonable federal regulation. Otter also supported including an array of energy efficiency measures at all levels of government and the private sector. The finished product is a bill that, along with companion legislation approved Wednesday by the House Resources Committee and being finalized in the Ways and Means Committee, provides a comprehensive national energy policy that America has been lacking for more than a decade "My goal all along has been to protect jobs and encourage economic growth by enhancing the efficient, relatively inexpensive hydropower generation and transmission system that makes Idaho and the Northwest the envy of the world," Otter said. "At the same time, this legislation provides real incentives for developing and expanding the use of new and alternative energy sources. And it goes a long way toward ensuring our future isn't clouded by too much dependence on imported fossil fuels." More information about the measure approved by the House Energy and Commerce Committee can be found on the Web at: http://energycommerce.house.gov/108/Markups/04022003markup862.htm |