I am very concerned about our country energy future. I my self being a one income household know from first hand, what the cause and effects of high energy prices on my life. 1. The cost of gasoline for travel to and from work. 2. The cost of electrical energy for home use.3. The cost of natural and propane gas for home use. Last Winter I had a double shocker. I got a $180.00 light bill and then I had to buy propane gas being that I live in the country. At 2.15 a gallon, you have to by 100 gallons, but you get a discount if you buy 150 gallons or more. (1.85)  Ouch! I spent almost $500.00 that month, and just for grins I added up my gasoline usage for that month also. Ouch! Ouch! Being Scottish, Irish my dander was up. I vowed to make a change "As God as my witness I will never let this happen again!" Sorry Scarlet!  The other thing about all of this that bugged me was I make good money and this hit me hard, what about the elderly and those who live on the poverty level. I first put my house in order, and researched how to cut my energy bills. I had to spend some money but I am now reaping the pay back. The next thing was to let the people in Washington know. I have written to my Congressmen. After discovering there is a Bill before the Senate [S. 1419 Renewable Fuels, Consumer Protection and Energy Efficiency Act of 2007] I have read this Bill, and I feel that in dose not go far enough. I have planned to take vacation and travel to Washington and have schedule to be in "Coffee with your Senators" both of them. This is only one of the issues I hope to address. I am encourage everyone I know to let Washington know how they feel about high energy coast. With oil companies making record profit, and with America addicted to foreign oil, we need to take action. We need to have clean, natural and cost effective energy source. For the sake of the planet and for the us who are the guardians of the Earth. We don't need any more coal or nuclear power plant. What we need is a better plan! I have enclosed the response from one of my Senators.

Dear Mr. R:

Thank you for contacting me regarding our nation’s energy policy.  Your comments are timely as the Senate debates the Renewable Fuels, Consumer Protection and Energy Efficiency Act of 2007 (S. 1419).  I appreciate having the benefit of your views on this matter.

Any energy policy must reflect our energy demands and, with creative solutions and conservation measures, provide the tools needed to meet them.  The United States is dependent on other nations for approximately 60 percent of the oil it consumes, which threatens American economic and energy security.  Recent spikes in energy prices remind us that we must pursue forward-thinking energy policies that allow us to better utilize our own domestic sources of energy and diversify available technologies.

S. 1419 attempts to address some of the complex debates regarding energy consumption by increasing energy efficiency and conservation, examining new and alternative sources of energy, and reducing carbon emissions.  These are worthwhile goals, and I look forward to working with my Senate colleagues to ensure that these provisions are attainable and not burdensome to our economy.

One significant part of the energy debate should be increasing domestic energy supply.  A balanced energy policy must include measures to address increased demand for energy by enabling our country to produce more energy domestically and in an environmentally sensitive way.  In addition, we should work to grow our refining capacity by streamlining burdensome government regulation that make it too expensive for small refineries to stay in business, while large refineries already run at full capacity.

I look forward to discussing these important issues on the Senate floor.  You may be certain that I will look for opportunities to improve the bill that benefit Texas’ energy strengths and bolster our national energy security.

Sincerely,

JOHN CORNYN
United States Senator