Upton Energy Watch

Rep. Upton opposes clean energy bill

2009-05-21T21:00:00.000-04:00

Unfortunately, Rep. Upton voted AGAINST the American Clean Energy & Security Act in the House Energy & Commerce Committee.

Call Rep. Upton at (202) 225-3761 and tell him America deserves better.

Tracking Rep. Upton's committee votes

2009-05-20T17:52:00.000-04:00

Before the House Energy & Commerce Committee's final vote on the American Clean Energy & Security Act later this week, Rep. Upton and his colleagues will cast many key committee votes.

To keep track of how Rep. Upton votes on key amendments to the bill, visit LCV's special online committee edition of its nationally respected Environmental Scorecard at www.lcv.org/aces. The site includes detailed descriptions of amendments and each committee members' vote on those amendments.

Check back throughout the day and the week for the latest updates.

Clean energy jobs for America

2009-05-19T10:10:00.001-04:00

Doing nothing is not an option

2009-05-18T09:04:00.006-04:00

This week, the Energy & Commerce Committee begins work on the American Clean Energy & Security Act (H.R. 2454). This comprehensive clean energy plan will create the industries of tomorrow and millions of new American jobs.

At a time when America has lost millions of jobs, it’s clear that we need to start moving in a new direction. Saying “no” or supporting the status quo is not an option.

But without a clear signal from the federal government about the direction of our energy future, investors and entrepreneurs won’t make any new investments. This means that new construction, new opportunities and new jobs won’t happen until Congress acts. In other words, we need Congress to send a clear signal that clean, low-carbon energy sources will power this country in the 21st century.

The American Clean Energy & Security Act is a strong start. It’s exactly the kind forward looking policy that will make the U.S. a leader in the clean energy technologies of the future.

Call Rep. Upton at (202) 225-3761. Tell him to support the American Clean Energy & Security Act.

President discusses energy bill in weekly address

2009-05-16T12:44:00.004-04:00

What are the tools that build a stronger future?

2009-05-14T12:41:00.002-04:00

Click here for more from America's Building Trades Unions.

Big Oil's got the fattest wallet in the world

2009-05-12T09:06:00.002-04:00

Big Oil is attempting to mislead the public and scare members of Congress into voting against comprehensive clean energy legislation. Check out the below radio ad, which highlights the profit-driven motivations behind the oil industry’s staunch opposition to energy reform and calls on Americans to ignore the lies coming from the richest, dirtiest, most insidious industry in America.

Recently, a oil industry front group launched a series of false and misleading radio ads in nearly a dozen congressional districts. Click here for more information.

Building an American clean energy economy

2009-04-28T13:25:00.000-04:00

Make our energy clean, make it in America

2009-04-23T12:41:00.001-04:00

President talks clean energy jobs on Earth Day

2009-04-22T18:39:00.000-04:00

President Obama spent Earth Day touring a wind turbine plant in Iowa to highlight how we can create jobs in a new clean energy economy:

"Now, the choice we face is not between saving our environment and saving our economy. The choice we face is between prosperity and decline. We can remain the world's leading importer of oil, or we can become the world's leading exporter of clean energy. We can allow climate change to wreak unnatural havoc across the landscape, or we can create jobs working to prevent its worst effects. We can hand over the jobs of the 21st century to our competitors, or we can confront what countries in Europe and Asia have already recognized as both a challenge and an opportunity: The nation that leads the world in creating new energy sources will be the nation that leads the 21st-century global economy.

"America can be that nation. America must be that nation. And while we seek new forms of fuel to power our homes and cars and businesses, we will rely on the same ingenuity -- the same American spirit -- that has always been a part of our American story."

Click here to read the entire speech.

Hearings begin today

2009-04-21T16:44:00.001-04:00

Today the Energy & Commerce Committee in the U.S. House begins hearings on the American Clean Energy & Security Act. The legislation will usher in a new era of clean energy production in the U.S. – creating millions of new clean energy jobs, limiting the pollution that causes global warming and reducing America’s dependence on foreign oil.

As a member of Energy & the Environment Subcommittee, Rep. Upton has an opportunity to significantly influence and shape this legislation. Yet greedy corporate polluters are waging an aggressive campaign to weaken the bill and keep America dependent on the failed energy policies of the past – allowing other countries to take advantage of the growing clean energy industries while America’s economy continues to struggle.

Click here to e-mail Rep. Upton. Tell him to support the American Clean Energy & Security Act.

Making America a global leader

2009-04-20T15:57:00.001-04:00

In an editorial in today’s issue of the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call, Rep. Upton repeated his misguided criticism of legislation to create millions of clean energy jobs and reduce the carbon pollution that causes global warming – once again referring to such efforts as a “cap-and-tax scheme.”

Consider: It takes 250 tons of steel and 6,000 parts to build a wind turbine, yet the U.S. currently imports the majority of our wind power equipment from other countries. Michigan is losing thousands of jobs while the clean energy technologies of the future are manufactured overseas.

We can put America back to work by becoming a global leader in the new clean energy economy. But construction can’t begin until Congress acts.

Call Rep. Upton at (202) 225-3761 and ask him to support the American Clean Energy & Security Act.

The potential for new jobs

2009-04-19T14:51:00.000-04:00

President Obama discusses clean energy

2009-04-14T15:23:00.000-04:00

President Obama gave a major economic speech today in which he said that the only way to achieve the full economic potential of new clean energy opportunities is to reduce the carbon pollution that causes global warming.

"Now, the third pillar of this new foundation is to harness the renewable energy that can create millions of new jobs and new industries. We all know that the country that harnesses this new energy source will lead the 21st century. Yet we’ve allowed other countries to outpace us on this race to the future.

"I don’t know about you, but I do not accept a future where the jobs and industries of tomorrow take root beyond our borders. I think it’s time for America to lead again.

"So the investments we made in the Recovery Act will double this nation’s supply of renewable energy in the next three years. And we are putting Americans to work, making our homes and buildings more efficient so that we can save billions on our energy bills and grow our economy at the same time.

"Now, the only way, though, that we can truly spark the transformation that’s needed is through a gradual, market-based cap on carbon pollution so that clean energy is a profitable kind of energy."

Checking back in

2009-04-14T13:50:00.000-04:00

Recently we commented on Rep. Upton’s “cap and tax scheme” press release that linked to a “page not found.” We checked back today and it seems the link is now working. Unfortunately, now that we can see Rep. Upton’s full statement, it’s clear that the congressman has got it all wrong. He said:

"By design, a cap and tax can only hurt the economy while providing a questionable environmental benefit."

The fact is, if we reduce the carbon pollution that causes global warming and shift U.S. energy production toward cleaner, cheaper sources like the wind and the sun, we will create the industries of tomorrow and millions of new clean energy jobs. Additionally, it will dramatically reduce our dependence on oil.

The time is now for Congress to pass a comprehensive clean energy plan.

Misreading the draft energy bill

2009-04-02T02:55:00.000-04:00

We’re disappointed in recent remarks by Rep. Upton regarding the Waxman-Markey draft legislation. Instead up supporting a bill to create jobs, Rep. Upton said,

“It stands for 'cap the growth, trade the jobs.' That's not the answer.”

Call the Rep. Fred Upton at (202) 225-3761 to ask him to support the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 that will provide much needed funding increases to a host of important environmental, conservation, clean water and clean energy programs.

Maybe he had a change of heart?

2009-04-01T12:23:00.001-04:00

We noticed today that in the news section of Rep. Upton website’s there is what appears to be a link to a press release labeled “Cap and Tax Scheme will Cost Jobs, Harm the Economy.” But when you click on the link the page that appears says:

The requested page could not be found

Let’s hope that Rep. Upton recognized that the truth is that increasing the use of renewable energy sources and reducing global warming pollution can help jump-start the economy by spurring growth in clean energy industries and creating new green jobs.

Energy bill introduced today

2009-03-31T12:16:00.000-04:00

Today Rep. Henry Waxman, chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee, and Rep. Ed Markey introduced draft clean energy and climate change legislation. This is an important first step to passing a comprehensive energy bill that will spur a new green energy economy and curb global warming pollution.

The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 recognizes that limiting global warming pollution will bring about a clean energy economy that creates jobs, improves our national security and protects our planet – and as a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Rep. Upton will play a key role in helping to shape this critical legislation.

Call Rep. Upton toll free at 1-866-440-1321 and urge him to support the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009.

Reality Check: Climate policies create jobs

2009-03-18T12:12:00.000-04:00

At a hearing of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy and Environment today, Rep. Upton claimed that climate legislation could cost U.S. jobs. But in reality solving the climate crisis will be the biggest economic boon to our nation in generations. Instead of importing billions of barrels of oil each year, America could be exporting millions of windmills and solar panels around the world.

More than 8.5 million workers are already employed in clean energy related jobs. With the right policies and investments, that number could jump to 40 million in just 20 years. The vast majority of jobs created by clean energy are standard jobs for accountants, engineers, computer analysts, clerks, factory works, truck drivers and mechanics. Because it is labor-intensive, investment in renewable energy creates more jobs than coal, oil or nuclear projects.

Call the Rep. Fred Upton at (202) 225-3761. Tell him the faster we cut pollution and transition to clean energy, the more people we’ll put to work.