Please contact
your US Senators and urge them to support S. 517 "The Energy Security Policy Act",
comprehensive national energy security legislation that reduces our nation's reliance
on imported energy by improving energy conservation, providing more reliance on
renewable bio-energy resources derived from our nation's farms and increasing
the use of our abundant domestic supplies of traditional forms of energy in an
environmentally sound manner! Call
or write your US Senator today, at no cost, through the grassroots program established
by the National Grange supported Coalition for Affordable and Reliable Energy!
The
National Grange "Blueprint for Rural America 2002" has identified 'Energy Security
for Rural America' as one of the ten priority issues for or organization this
year. Rural America faces a complex energy crisis. Our nation is more dependent
on imported energy than at any time in our history. Energy prices threaten the
economic health of U.S. farms. Programs to promote domestic energy from our nation's
farms languish for lack of political leadership. Proven domestic reserves of energy,
often located near economically depressed rural communities, cannot be developed.
Voluntary energy conservation programs are under funded while environmentally
marginal proposals to increase the regulatory burden on agriculture and industry
will increase energy costs for everyone. Electric utility deregulation causes
anxiety in rural areas. Rural consumers must share equally in the benefits of
any electricity deregulation programs with other consumers. As
Congress returns from the Easter recess, "The Energy Security Policy Act", comprehensive
national energy legislation is currently being debated by the US Senate. The US
House of Representatives adopted the "Securing America's Future Energy Act" last
Summer. However, because energy prices have declined and the potential terrorist
threats of disruption to foreign energy supplies are no longer front page news,
many US Senators believe that there is no longer a need for comprehensive and
balanced energy legislation Serious and significant questions regarding our nation's
long term energy security remain unanswered. It is crucial that US Senators hear
from Grange members regarding the importance of passage of comprehensive, balanced
energy legislation during this session of Congress. The
National Grange is a founding member of the Coalition for Affordable and Reliable
Energy (CARE), a broad based coalition of business, industry, labor, agriculture
and public interest organizations dedicated to passage of strong, balanced and
comprehensive national energy legislation. Please encourage your Grange members
to contact their US Senators and support Senate passage of S. 517, the Energy
Security Policy Act. Grange
members can telephone their US Senators' offices directly by using the toll-free
hotline set up by the CARE coalition (1-877-242-1528). Grange members can also
fax, mail, or e-mail their US Senators through the "Write Your Legislator" function
on the official CARE website (www.careenergy.com). It is critical that we do not
become complacent observers, but continue to press for final passage of comprehensive
energy legislation by the US Senate, and our best resources to achieve that objective
are our members! Action
Plan---S. 517, The Energy Security Policy Act is now being debated in the
US Senate. Please contact your US Senators and ask them to support passage of
S. 517. It couldn't be easier! Call
the Grange/CARE coalition hotline at 1-877-242-1528 to be connected directly with
your US Senator's Washington DC office to deliver your comments or
fax, mail, or e-mail
your US Senator's office through the "Write Your Legislator" program on the official
CARE website. Use
the following talking points as a guideline when contacting your US Senators'
offices to ask for support for S. 517, The Energy Security Policy Act, comprehensive
national energy legislation: -
On behalf of (name of your) Grange, I am calling (or writing) to ask that Senator
[Your Senator's Name] support passage of S. 517, the Energy Security Policy Act,
comprehensive national energy legislation that is currently being considered by
the U.S. Senate.
-
Our nation needs a comprehensive national energy strategy. America's electricity
needs, alone, will grow by 45 percent over the next twenty years. Unless the Senate
acts now to pass energy legislation, our economy, our jobs, even our quality of
life could soon be jeopardized by California-like price hikes and energy shortages.
- In order to
continue to power America's farms, factories, homes, and schools, we need a sensible,
balanced national energy plan that implements new energy conservation and efficiency
measures, provides greater reliance on renewable bio-energy produced on our nation's
farms, and increases use of our abundant domestic supplies of traditional forms
of energy, in an environmentally sound manner.
- The
recent turmoil in the Middle East and other energy producing regions of the world
demonstrates our nation's vulnerability from continued reliance on imported energy.
Only a balanced national energy plan that relies on domestic energy resources
and conservation can decrease our nation's dependence on imported energy.
- An
effective national energy strategy must also include incentives for research,
development and use of advanced energy technologies and bio-energy technologies
for a more energy efficient and cleaner America.
- (name
of your) Grange urges Senator (name of your Senator) to support S. 517 and pass
comprehensive national energy legislation -- NOW
Thank
you for your grassroots participation in the National Grange Legislative Program.
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