Issue Position: Energy

Issue Position

ENERGY AND FIGHTING THE BURDEN OF GASOLINE PRICES

Connecticut now has the highest gasoline prices in the continental United States. Everyday Connecticut families suffer the burden of $4 gasoline as we drive our kids to school and ourselves to work. High fuel prices cost small businesses thousands of dollars and prevent job growth and wage increases while big oil companies enjoy tax breaks and government subsidies.

High gasoline prices are only one of many energy burdens we must confront. To protect our country, our kids and our environment, we need to end our dependence on foreign oil, invest in clean and renewable energy technologies, and develop a comprehensive national energy policy.

As your U.S. Senator, I will:

Stand up to Big Oil. The oil industry has collected record-breaking profits on record high gasoline prices, all while collecting billions of dollars a year in tax breaks and incentives. As a state legislator, I worked hard with then-Attorney General Blumenthal to investigate gasoline prices I believe to be unfair and anticompetitive. Big Oil cannot be allowed to exploit and punish consumers, especially in this economic environment.

Not only will I end tax-breaks to Big Oil, but I will join forces again with Senator Blumenthal, and continue the work we began when he was Attorney General, to push for hearings into gasoline price gouging and a federal investigation into gasoline pricing and possible violations of our antitrust laws. I will also support tapping the Strategic Petroleum Reserve where appropriate.

Lead the way on a comprehensive energy strategy. I will work hard with the President, and my colleagues in the Senate and the House, to develop a national energy strategy that sets hard and realistic goals to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and transform our economy and energy infrastructure to one that is based on renewable sources of energy.

As part of that strategy, I will push for a national renewable energy and energy efficiency financing program. By offering consumers low interest financing to upgrade their homes and businesses with renewable energy and energy efficient technologies, we can finally move people from oil and gas to renewable home power, heating and cooling technologies, protect our environment for future generations and put Americans back to work today.

Expand Connecticut's leadership in the design and manufacture of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies and products. Connecticut workers already manufacture fuel cells, advanced solar energy systems and high-efficiency daylighting. I will work hard for critical research and development funding so that Connecticut can continue to develop this important industry, and work closely with economic development officials to attract new businesses to Connecticut to create thousands of new jobs in our state.

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