SAFE Praises Senate Energy Panel for Significant Energy Security Progress

/PRNewswire/ -- Securing America's Future Energy (SAFE) today commended the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee for producing a comprehensive energy bill that includes many crucial SAFE-recommended measures to bolster U.S. energy security.

"The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee has put together a strong bill," SAFE President and CEO Robbie Diamond said. "Chairman Bingaman and Ranking Member Murkowski, despite pressure from both sides of the ideological spectrum, showed tremendous leadership in working together to craft a genuinely bipartisan bill that includes many provisions -- such as transportation electrification and increased domestic supply of oil and natural gas -- that are vital to our economic and national security. SAFE worked closely with many members of the Committee -- particularly Senator Byron Dorgan, a longtime leader and champion of energy security who helped ensure that the bill came out of Committee with key energy security provisions. The entire Committee deserves the nation's thanks today."

Last fall, SAFE unveiled a comprehensive plan to reduce U.S. oil dependence, primarily through electrification of the short-haul ground transportation fleet along with crucial measures -- including expanded domestic production of oil and natural gas -- to keep our nation safe and secure in the interim. Since then, SAFE has worked closely with legislative champions in both the House and Senate, and with the members of the Senate Energy Committee, to include SAFE-proposed provisions in major energy legislation under consideration.

"Of course, the end of the markup does not mean the end of the important work we have to do," Diamond added. "There are still improvements that can and should be made to this bill on the Senate floor, particularly as relating to long-distance, high-voltage transmission infrastructure. Nevertheless, we should not understate the accomplishment of the Senate Energy Committee. There is still much to be determined, but this legislation puts us on the path toward a more secure energy system that improves our economic and national security."

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