Energy Policy Modernization Bill

Floor Speech

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Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, this week we have seen what can be accomplished on behalf of the American people with a Senate that is back to work under the Republican majority.

We just passed two broad bipartisan bills aimed at protecting consumers and modernizing our energy policies, respectively, and both bills take important steps to bolster national security as well.

The passage of the Energy Policy Modernization Act yesterday marks the first broad energy legislation to move through the Senate since the Bush administration. In the years since that time, our country ``has gone from fearing oil and gas shortages to becoming the leading producer of both fuels'' as one paper put it.

It is clear this energy legislation is much needed when it comes to bringing our aging infrastructure and policies in line with current and future demands.

I thank the Energy Committee chair, Senator Murkowski, and the ranking member, Senator Cantwell, for working to advance this legislation. It is important for our country. It will help Americans save more energy, produce more energy, and pay less for energy. To paraphrase Senator Murkowski, it is another example of how the Senate is back to work.

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