John Barrasso on Energy & Oil Republican Appointee

Recognize the importance of domestic energy production

Favor investment in coal and natural gas production

Voted NO on tax incentives for energy production and conservation.

• TITLE I--ENERGY TAX INCENTIVES
• Sec. 102. Production credit for electricity produced from marine renewables.
• Sec. 104. Credit for residential energy efficient property.
• Sec. 106. New clean renewable energy bonds.
• Part II--Carbon Mitigation Provisions
• Sec. 112. Expansion and modification of coal gasification investment credit.
• Sec. 115. Carbon audit of the tax code.
• Sec. 121. Inclusion of cellulosic biofuel in bonus depreciation for biomass ethanol plant property.
• Sec. 122. Credits for biodiesel and renewable diesel.
• Sec. 124. Credit for new qualified plug-in electric drive motor vehicles.
• Sec. 127. Transportation fringe benefit to bicycle commuters.
• Sec. 146. Qualified green building and sustainable design projects.Opponents argument for voting NAY:Sen. SPECTER: H.R. 6049 would revive important tax provisions that expired at the end of 2007 and extend provisions that are set to expire at the end of 2008. I support extension of the R&D tax credit, the renewable energy tax incentives, and many other important provisions in this package.

  Despite the positive elements of this legislation, the main sticking point is whether temporary extensions of tax relief should be offset with permanent tax increases elsewhere. The White House issued a statement recommending a Presidential veto of this bill in its current form. [Vote NAY to] allow the Senate to work its will and pass legislation that can be quickly signed by the President.

  Reference: Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act; Bill HR6049 ; vote number 2008-150 on Jun 17, 2008

  Voted NO on addressing CO2 emissions without considering India & China.

  OnTheIssues.org Explanation: This is a motion on an omnibus spending bill, sending instructions to the committee resolving differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill. Sen. Boxer introduced this motion, and Sen. DeMint introduced a counter-motion. Voting for the Boxer motion means you favor Boxer's method over DeMint's method, which means speeding up Congressional action on global warming.Opponents argument for voting NAY:Sen. DeMINT. When we are talking about trade agreements, there needs to be a level playing field. This motion would prevent Congress from passing any law with new mandates on greenhouse gas emissions that would harm the U.S. economy or result in job loss unless both China and India had the same mandates--in other words, if we had a level playing field. It is not going to help the environment in the United States or the world if we pass mandates that raise the cost of doing business in our country, if we create mandates that do not exist in India or China.Proponents argument for voting YEA:Sen. BOXER. I rise to speak against the DeMint motion and in favor of the Boxer motion. The DeMint motion is a throwback to 10 years ago when everybody, including myself, was saying we better watch out and not do anything about global warming until the undeveloped world acts. We cannot do that anymore. This is a time when we need to stand up as the leading country in the world and say that we can fight global warming, and we can win this fight.

  But what happens with the DeMint motion, he gives China and India a veto power over what we should be doing. Imagine saying we are not going to do anything about human rights until China acts. Why would we give up our chance to take the mantle of leadership and finally grab hold of this issue? I cannot look into the eyes of my grandchildren and tell them: Sorry, I am giving over my proxy to China & India, and I can't do anything about it.

  Reference: Motion to Instruct Conferees (China-India) re: S.Con.Res.70; Bill Motion to Instruct S.Con.Res70 ; vote number 2008-132 on May 15, 2008

  Develop technology for carbon dioxide sequestration.

  Barrasso introduced developing technology for carbon dioxide sequestration
  Greenhouse Gas Emission Atmospheric Removal Act or the GEAR Act -
  • Declares that it is the policy of the United States to provide incentives to encourage the development and implementation of technology to permanently remove greenhouse gases (GHGs) from the atmosphere on a significant scale.
  • Establishes within the Department of Energy (DOE) the Greenhouse Gas Emission Atmospheric Removal Commission.
  • Provides financial awards on a competitive basis to entities for the achievement of milestones in developing and applying technology that could significantly slow or reverse the accumulation of GHGs in the atmosphere by permanently capturing or sequestrating those gases without significant countervailing harmful effects.
  • Vests title to intellectual property arising from any awards in U.S. entities. Bars title transfer to an entity not incorporated in the United States until the first obtained patent expires. Authorizes the United States to reserve a license to have such property practiced on its behalf.
  Source: GEAR Act (S.2614) 08-S2614 on Feb 8, 2008

  Open the Outer Continental Shelf for oil & gas leasing.

  Barrasso co-sponsored opening the Outer Continental Shelf for oil & gas leasing

  A bill to address record high gas prices at the pump, and for other purposes. The Gas Price Reduction Act amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) to prescribe procedures for petition, by the governor of a state with a new producing area within the offshore administrative boundaries beyond the state's submerged land, to make the new producing area available for oil and gas leasing.

  Repeals the prohibition against funding: (1) regulations regarding a commercial leasing program for oil shale resources on public lands; or (2) an oil shale lease sale.

• Instructs the Secretary of Energy to: (1) expand and accelerate research and development efforts for advanced batteries; and (2) implement a direct loan program for up to 30% of the costs of advanced battery production.
• Expresses the sense of the Senate that the federal government should implement policies to increase federal purchases of plug-in electric drive vehicles.
• Report to Congress on the international regime for regulating trading in energy commodity futures and derivatives.

Establish energy security strategy with domestic production.

The Secretary of Energy shall conduct an analysis of all policies of the Federal Government (including mandates, subsidies, tariffs, and tax policy) that encourage, or have the potential to encourage, energy production in the United States; with recommendations to reduce:

• the dependence of the United States on foreign sources of energy;
• the quantity of air pollutants in the environment;
• greenhouse gas emissions; and
• the cost of energy.

1. the dependence of the United States on foreign sources of energy;
2. the quantity of air pollutants in the environment;
3. greenhouse gas emissions; and
4. the cost of energy.

1. an estimate of the domestic and foreign energy supplies needed to meet the projected energy demand of the United States; and
2. a summary of research and development efforts funded by the Federal Government to achieve the strategy.