Politics & Government
Sensenbrenner Rips Obama's Energy Plan; Calls for More Drilling
During visit to Brookfield, Republican congressman calls for oversight on alternative energy projects and greater use of domestic resources.
Criticizing President Barack Obama's administration for its focus on alternative energy amid rising gas prices, U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner laid out his own ideas for U.S. energy sources in a speech to the Elmbrook Rotary Club Friday morning at the .
“I think that energy and our economic recovery are joined at the hip like Siamese twins,” Sensenbrenner said. “And if we do not have a reasonable and responsible energy policy … that exploits our domestic natural resources, including offshore drilling, we’re going to end up paying $5 for a gallon of gas.”
Sensenbrenner berated the Obama administration's support for alternative energy projects and rejection of domestic drilling, saying it has led to higher gas prices and hurt the economy.
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"More energy means lower prices; lower prices means more jobs," Sensenbrenner said. "More jobs means more people are paying taxes rather than collecting benefits, and we’re going to be able to drive down the deficit. That should be a win, win, win for everybody, for all of America."
In response, Sensenbrenner said he has been working on legislation, the Federal Accounting of Renewable Energy (FARE) Act, to require impartial public audits of loans for alternative energy projects administered by the Department of Energy.
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"They have put money into alternative sources of energy that have been nothing more than political payoffs to some of the president’s biggest contributors," Sensenbrenner said.
In addition to working on the FARE Act, he recently sponsored the Private Property Rights Protection Act, which passed the House last month and went to the Senate. The bill would forbid governments from using economic development as justification for exercising eminent domain — taking land and turning it over to companies who can turn a greater profit on it.
Since 1978, Sensenbrenner has represented the 5th Congressional District, which includes parts of Jefferson, Milwaukee and Waukesha counties, and all of Ozaukee and Washington counties.
