The U.S. House of Representatives voted on H.R. 6515 today. While the bill gave lip service to domestic drilling, it made no advances to do so, therefore, Congress rejected the measure and is holding out for an energy bill that offers the American public real relief at the pump.
Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson would love to see Congress pass an energy bill with some teeth, such as H.R. 6384, the Americans for American Energy Act. Simpson is a cosponsor of this bill and feels it is a comprehensive solution to our energy crisis.

H.R. 6384 would allow for responsible new oil and gas production on federal lands, improve our refining capacity, renew our commitment to nuclear power, and invest in alternative energy sources for the future. 

"Ultimately, a real, long-term answer to the energy crisis will require the development of an alternative energy source that will replace fossil fuels," said Simpson. "However, the truth is that while we can’t drill our way out of this problem, increasing domestic oil production is a necessary part of the immediate solution."

For nearly a decade Simpson has been an advocate for alternative energy resources. He supports nuclear power, increasing domestic oil production, and lessening our dependence on foreign oil.

Not only would H.R. 6384 allow for new production of oil and gas in ANWR and the OCS and through oil shale production, but it also ensures that all federal revenues would fund efforts to boost conservation and efficiency and fund and incentivize the research and development of clean, renewable energy technologies.

The Americans for American Energy Act addresses long term solutions and authorizes the start of construction for new nuclear power plants by 2010 and requires the NRC to complete rulemaking on the recycling of spent nuclear fuel within 2 years.

Under current law, Cuba is allowed to drill closer to the United States than our laws allow us to drill, so H.R. 6348 addresses this issue and gives coastal states the right to determine whether or not they want energy production up to 100 miles off their shores and would establish an equitable revenue sharing program with the states.

"High gas prices are the obvious result of our nation’s energy crisis, but we should be very concerned about the security implications of our dangerous dependence on foreign sources of oil," said Simpson. "Most energy companies in the world are government owned and that means that most of the $9 million a day that Americans spend on gasoline is going to support governments that we may not consider to be allies. This dependence must change."