Letter Supporting an Amendment Based on S. 2821, the "Clean Energy Tax Stimulus Act of 2008"

 

April 8, 2008

TO THE MEMBERS OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE:

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the world’s largest business federation representing more than three million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region, supports an amendment based on S. 2821, the “Clean Energy Tax Stimulus Act of 2008,” which is expected to be offered by Sen. Ensign to H.R. 3221, the “Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2008.”

The Chamber believes it is in the national interest to promote the responsible use of all energy sources. To reach this goal, government and business should support investment in new technologies that expand alternative energy and enable traditional sources of energy to be used more cleanly and efficiently. Extension of the incentives in S. 2821 will go a long way toward the development of the renewable and alternative energy technologies essential to our nation’s energy future.

Congress must be mindful, however, not to merely stop at renewables. Many of the incentives extended by S. 2821 were included in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct), a comprehensive energy policy bill largely overlooked scarcely more than two years after its enactment. EPAct contains nearly 70 provisions that require federal agencies to undertake research, development and demonstration of new technologies, to engage in public/private partnerships, or to make available financial incentives to the private sector for the development of these new technologies. Presently, a significant number of the nearly 70 new energy technology and efficiency directives are unfunded, under-funded, or simply not implemented at all.

The Chamber supports Sen. Ensign’s amendment, and urges Congress not only to extend the incentives specified in that bill, but to fully fund and implement all of the energy technology and efficiency directives enacted by EPAct.

Sincerely,
R. Bruce Josten