With this bill the nation is headed toward cleaner energy

The House Energy and Commerce Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives went into its Memorial Day recess with a bang by passing comprehensive energy legislation that will bring clean energy jobs to the Pittsburgh region, while making our nation less dependent on expensive foreign oil.

By advancing clean domestic energy solutions, Rep. Mike Doyle was an important voice and leader of the moderate Democrats on the committee. He proved to be a real champion for clean energy jobs, forging reasonable solutions to help the steel and other critical industries so they can make the needed transitions.

The bill, called the American Clean Energy and Security Act, is a comprehensive clean energy and climate plan that will slash our dependence on oil; put our economy back on track with millions of new, clean energy jobs while shifting energy production toward cleaner, cheaper and safer sources like wind and solar; and dramatically cut the carbon pollution that causes global warming. The bill, as amended, also requires global warming pollution control from coal-fired power plants by capping carbon dioxide emissions and allocates necessary funding to advance carbon capture and sequestration technologies.

This bill, when signed by the president, will begin to create the industries of tomorrow right here in Pennsylvania and across America. Rep. Doyle should be commended because he set an example for Pennsylvania's entire congressional delegation and improved the bill's chances of passage when it comes to a vote in the full House this summer.

LARRY J. SCHWEIGER
President and Chief Executive Officer
National Wildlife Federation
Washington, D.C.
The writer lives in McCandless.