mr. chairman , as yogi berra used to say `` it 's dja 2 vu all over again. '' i never would have imagined : during a time of war in the middle east , heading into the summer smog season in cities like washington , dc , with prices at the pump hitting $ 2.50 a gallon , we are here today telling our constituents that the wisest course of action -- the best america can do with its energy policy -- is `` more of the same '' . 
nonsense . 
we have choices . 
we always have choices . 
what we apparently do n't have -- yet -- is the leadership to make them . 
take national security . 
rather than heeding the clarion call of former cia director woolsey , former national security advisor mcfarlane and others to reduce our use of foreign oil by launching `` a major new initiative to curtail u.s. consumption through improved efficiency and the rapid development of ... .. 
petroleum fuel alternatives , '' this legislation actually increases our reliance on foreign oil , according to the independent energy information agency ( eia ) . 
what about economic growth ? 
we 've lost over 2.8 million manufacturing jobs since 2001 -- and no matter how hard today 's proponents try to spin it -- this bill is n't going to bring them back . 
to the contrary , by doling out additional tax breaks to already highly profitable oil companies , this legislation represents a monumental missed opportunity to target critical federal investments towards the rapidly expanding green industries of the 21st century . 
we should be the world leader in renewable energy and hybrid technologies -- not playing catch up to the danes , germans and japanese . 
in that regard , i regret that an amendment i offered with reps . 
inslee ( d-wa ) and holt ( d-nj ) to achieve this goal was blocked by the rules committee and will not be permitted a floor vote today . 
finally , no serious discussion about formulating a comprehensive national energy policy can take place without reference to the environmental impacts of our nation 's energy consumption . 
however , rather than having that discussion , this bill instead goes the other direction by deliberately chipping away at the clean water , clean air and national environmental policy acts . 
it once again proposes to despoil the anwr while ignoring the potential for far greater fuel gains through a long overdue increase in caf standards . 
and it brazenly extends a special interest liability waiver to mtbe manufacturers whose product is polluting groundwater in many of our districts -- leaving taxpayers to pick up the tab . 
in my home state of maryland , important statewide energy efficiency standards and local lng siting perogatives are preempted . 
and throughout the entire mr. chairman , america needs an energy policy that strengthens our national security , promotes long term economic growth and protects the environment . 
this is not that policy . 
i ask my colleagues to oppose this bill . 
