I believe that with Americans facing rising energy prices, comprehensive energy legislation should be high on the congressional agenda. To meet the energy challenges facing our nation, we need an energy policy that increases our domestic energy supply, invests in renewable and alternative energy sources, improves energy efficiency and invests in public transportation.

We owe it to future generations to achieve this goal, through bills and other policies, because reducing energy consumption is vital to our economy, our national security and to our environment.

• SHORT TERM ENERGY RELIEF: Our nation needs a long-term energy supply that moves our country toward energy independence through greater use of alternative energy sources, but I also believe it is important to provide short-term relief to families struggling with high energy prices. In the wake of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma and with oil companies posting high profits, there are concerns about manipulation of the energy markets. I am concerned about potential price-gouging in the energy markets. While there are no federal statutes for prosecuting gas price-gouging, Kansas has statutes prohibiting gas price gouging. I will work with the Attorney General’s Office in Kansas to ensure that state consumers are not subject to gas price gouging. I encourage constituents to visit the Department of Energy’s website to learn about tips on saving energy costs. For the lowest gasoline prices in the Kansas City Metro area, constituents can visit www.ksgasprices.com.
• INVESTMENT IN MASS TRANSIT: Public transportation not only reduces congestion and traffic accidents, but serves as an economic and environmentally friendly alternative to automobile use. Since I’ve been in Congress, I have helped to secure federal funds for important investments to improve the Third District’s public transportation system. I will continue to work to improve public transportation to meet the needs of the Third District.
• ENERGY EFFICIENCY: For the foreseeable future, our economy will depend primarily on oil and gas. While we must work to increase the access to and the viability of alternative energy sources, it is also essential to increase energy efficiency to decrease our dependence on foreign oil. The omnibus energy bill, which I supported will provide tax incentives for energy efficiency. Specifically, the measure provides a business tax credit for construction of energy efficient homes, appliances and equipment and for energy efficient commercial buildings.
• ALTERNATIVE AND RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES: While it is important to increase our domestic supply of oil and gas, it is essential that the federal government encourage and increase access to alternative energy sources. Furthermore, alternative energy sources, such at ethanol and wind energy, offer not only an environmentally-friendly alternative to traditional fossil fuels, but they provide economic opportunity for our nation’s farmers, particularly here in Kansas.
• DOMESTIC ENERGY SUPPLY: I believe we need to stimulate production of unconventional, domestic gas so that our nation will be better equipped to meet our future energy needs. We need to reduce the dependence on imported petroleum and enhance the energy, economic and national security of the U.S.