National Environmental Trust Statement on President Bush's Call for Energy

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http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=46242

WASHINGTON, April 21 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Following is a statement by Philip Clapp, president, National Environmental Trust, on President Bush's call for energy legislation and the House Energy Bill:

"We used to connect 'sticker shock' with the price of the car. Now we connect it to filling its gas tank. With gas prices sitting at $2.33 per gallon, President Bush and his allies in the House should be offering real solutions to help the average American at the pump. Instead, they are falling back on the old House energy bill that will do absolutely nothing to lower the price of energy. What's worse, the bill is a budget buster giving away $89 billion over ten years.

"If the President was serious about energy, he would offer real solutions that will protect our environment, diversify our energy sources, lessen our dependence on foreign oil and help consumers deal with record high gas prices. But this President has never been serious about energy. Had he just endorsed raising our fuel efficiency standards when he first came into office, the average car and SUV would already get five or six more miles to the gallon. That would mean real savings to Americans, both at the pump and in the environment.

"It's time for President Bush and his allies in the U.S. House to abandon 19th century-oriented energy bill and get serious about American energy independence."