LCV, Veterans & Building Trades thank Rep. Hill

Broad coalition thanks Rep. Hill

In response to the passage of the American Clean Energy and Security Act through the House Energy and Commerce Committee, League of Conservation Voters President Gene Karpinski, Vote Vets Chairman Jon Soltz, AFL-CIO Building & Construction Trades Department President Mark Ayers, and Clean Economy Network President Jeff Anderson issued the following joint statement:

“Today, Rep. Baron Hill cast one of the most important votes of his career. In supporting the passage of the American Clean Energy and Security Act, he put America on the path to a clean energy economy that will create millions of jobs, reduce our dangerous addiction to foreign oil, and protect our planet from global warming. His constituents should be proud of their Representative and proud to have elected him.

The millions of workers, business leaders, environmentalists, and veterans that we represent are grateful to Rep. Hill and offer our congratulations for his courageous action. We will continue to stand with forward thinking Members of Congress to strengthen and support this bill until President Obama signs it into law.”

Note: Indiana Rep. Steve Buyer voted against final passage of the bill.

Rep. Hill votes for clean energy bill

Rep. Hill has just voted for the American Clean Energy & Security Act in the House Energy & Commerce Committee.

Call Rep. Hill at (202) 225-5315 and thank him for supporting a new clean energy future.

Tracking Rep. Hill's committee votes

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

To keep track of how Rep. Hill 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.

Paper: Rep. Hill in the middle of energy debate

As the News & Tribune reported today, Rep. Hill's position on the House Energy & Commerce Committee puts him squarely in the middle of the debate on the American Clean Energy & Security Act.

Hill, D-Ind., has been targeted by organizations both in favor and opposing the legislation, which if passed by Congress would for the first time limit gas emissions believed to cause global warming at the industrial level.

Hill spokeswoman Katie Moreau said Hill is concerned with how the bill could impact Indiana’s economy, specifically employment.

"He’s been very open about it," Moreau said. "He understands that this is a problem and he wants to do something about it. But it’s asking a lot of people in a time of such economic trouble."

A recent TV ad from America's Building Trades Unions points out that the majority of our wind and solar equipment is built overseas. We're losing jobs at home while other countries get further ahead.

However, we can build an American clean energy economy, but construction doesn't start until Congress acts. By passing the American Clean Energy & Security Act we can make America a global leader in energy technology and create millions of new jobs.

President announces national fuel efficiency policy

As Rep. Hill and his colleagues on the House Energy & Commerce Committee debate the American Clean Energy & Security Act, President Obama today set in motion a new national policy aimed at increasing fuel economy. The new standards, covering model years 2012-2016, and ultimately requiring an average fuel economy standard of 35.5 mpg in 2016, are projected to save 1.8 billion barrels of oil over the life of the program.

The policy will increase the strength and competitiveness of America’s automakers, save consumers untold billions in future gas costs and significantly reduce the amount of global warming pollution our country will emit. Click here for more information.

Now it's time for Congress to act and further move us towards a cleaner, safer energy future.

Clean energy jobs for America

Doing nothing is not an option

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. Hill at (202) 225-5315. Tell him to support the American Clean Energy & Security Act.

President discusses energy bill in weekly address

What are the tools that build a stronger future?

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

Big Oil's got the fattest wallet in the world

The League of Conservation Voters today launched a new radio ad in Rep. Hill's congressional district exposing Big Oil's attempts to mislead the public and scare members of Congress into voting against comprehensive clean energy legislation. "Fattest Wallet" 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. Check out the ad below.



Click here for more information on the oil industry front group that recently launched a series of false and misleading radio ads.

Duke leaving industry group because of climate policy

Duke Energy Corp., which provides electric utility services to nearly 800,000 customers in Indiana, is ending its membership in the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) partly because of the association's staunch opposition to reducing global warming pollution and creating a clean energy economy. From Bloomberg News:

"We are not renewing our membership in the NAM because in tough times, we want to invest in associations that are pulling in the same direction we are," Duke Chief Executive Officer Jim Rogers said last month in an interview. The association, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Republicans "ought to roll up their sleeves and get to work on a climate bill, but quite frankly, I don't see them changing."

Duke is a founding member of the United States Climate Action Partnership, which is a group of businesses and environmental organizations that have come together to call on the federal government to quickly enact strong national legislation to require significant reductions of greenhouse gas emissions.

Call Rep. Hill at (202) 225-5315. Ask him to support a comprehensive clean energy plan. Ask him to support the American Clean Energy & Security Act.

Thousands of Indiana clean energy jobs

Editorial: Clean energy investment likely means "more green jobs"

The Herald Times published an editorial today noting that the American Clean Energy & Security Act is being championed by various groups "as a means of creating millions of clean energy jobs, cutting global pollution, lowering consumer energy costs and enhancing our nation’s energy independence." An excerpt from the editorial:

...any investment is likely to have long-term payoffs in the form of lower utility costs, more green jobs and American independence from traditional energy sources.

Call Rep. Hill at (202) 225-5315. Ask him to support the American Clean Energy & Security Act.

Paper: Hill at center of energy fight

The Herald Times published an article today noting Rep. Hill's key role shaping in energy legislation as a member of the House Energy & Commerce Committee. An excerpt:

The phone is ringing in U.S. Rep. Baron Hill’s office. Hoosiers are making clear their concerns about a federal energy bill that is being drafted.

"We’ve gotten a pretty good steady stream of calls," Hill staffer Katie Moreau said from his D.C. office.

Several national energy groups and workers unions have launched advertising campaigns in southern Indiana, calling attention to the American Clean Energy and Security Act, now being debated by federal lawmakers.

The draft of the legislation states the act will create millions of clean energy jobs, cut global warming pollution, lowers consumers’ energy costs and enhance the country’s energy independence.

The article also notes that America's Building Trades Unions are running TV ads in Rep. Hill's district urging people to contact the congressman and ask him to support a comprehensive clean energy plan.

When people talk about green jobs, [Tom Owens, spokesman for the Building Trades] said, they’re talking about construction jobs.

Owens points out that several countries — Germany, for example — are ahead of the U.S. when it comes to wind and solar energy. And Owens fears that while the idea hasn’t been spoken aloud, manufacturing could be sent overseas to places with established factories and workers who know how to build windmills and so on.

One windmill calls for more than 1,000 separate steel components, he said. If the bill is "done right," those steel parts would be manufactured in the states. “We want to get people into careers," Owens said.

Click here to view the Building Trades' TV ad.