Energy conservation

Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act of 2008

hmoroz — Thu, 22 May 2008 17:49:06 -0400

Legislation

The middle class

Supports

Video Summary

Injustice Facts

Percentage of the benefits of the child tax credit that went to families in the top 40% of the income distribution in 2005: 60

Maximum percentage of the benefits of the child tax credit that went to families in the lowest 20% of the income distribution in 2005: 1

Estimated number of children that the child tax credit provision in the legislation would benefit: 13 million

Estimated number of children who would become newly eligible for the child tax credit under the legislation: 2.9 million

Estimated industry revenues from renewable energy and efficiency in 2006, in dollars: 970 billion

Estimated lost investment if federal tax credits for solar and wind energy are not extended, in dollars: 19 billion

Estimated jobs in the renewable energy and efficiency industry in 2006: 8.5 million

Estimate number of jobs that could be lost if federal tax credits for solar and wind energy are not extended: 116,000

Overview/Summary

Middle Class Position Analysis

The Middle Class Supports. While politicians are proposing short-term band-aids to deal with rising fuel costs, middle-class Americans are increasingly feeling the effects of an energy policy that harms the environment and favors large oil companies. The energy tax credit expansions and extensions in the Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act are part of a long-term strategy to alleviate high fuel costs, make the country more energy efficient, and ensure that the economy retains jobs in renewable energy and technology. Indeed, a recent study demonstrated that failure to extend energy tax credits for solar and wind power could result in the loss of 116,000 jobs. With the middle class already feeling the effects of weak employment, Congress must strengthen a renewable energy and energy efficiency industry that benefits both the environment and the economy.

Aspiring middle-class families with children are in a particularly difficult situation in an economy of high food, fuel, and health care costs. The Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act’s changes to the child tax credit would make 2.9 million additional children eligible for the benefit and would increase the benefit for 10.1 million more. Expanding the income floor for the credit means that very low-income aspiring middle-class families, who currently benefit less from the credit than higher-income families, will receive the support they need to make ends meet.

The revenue raising provisions of the Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act not only make the legislation fiscally responsible, but make the tax code fairer by eliminating loopholes exploited wealthy executives and multinational corporations.

Quotes from Experts

Beyond this Bill

Additional Resources

“Greener Pathways: Jobs and Workforce Development in the Clean Energy Economy”, from the Apollo Alliance

“Taxation and the Family: What is the child tax credit?” from the Tax Policy Center

“Families Helped by the Child Tax Credit Expansion Work Hard in Low-Paying Jobs” from the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities

Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2008

atraub — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 14:43:06 -0500

Legislation

The middle class

Supports

Video Summary

Injustice Facts

Cost of one barrel of crude oil the day this bill passed the House:$100.83

Date on which President Bush said, “With $55 [per barrel] oil we don't need incentives to oil and gas companies to explore. There are plenty of incentives. What we need is to put a strategy in place that will help this country over time become less dependent”: 4/14/2005

Date on which the Bush Administration nevertheless announced that the President would veto this bill: 2/26/2008

Average amount per gallon Americans paid for that gas the week this bill passed the House: $3.18

Profit made by oil company Exxon Mobil every minute in 2007, according to the Center for American Progress: $77,245

Percentage of total U.S. electricity demand that could technically be met by renewable energy resources by 2020, according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory: 100

Overview/Summary

Middle Class Position Analysis

The Middle Class Supports: Today, as middle-class consumers struggle with the high costs of gasoline and home heating oil and are increasingly concerned about the threat of global warming, federal incentives that spur energy efficiency and promote renewable energy couldn’t be more timely. By reviving the abandoned provisions of the 2007 energy bill, this legislation offers the substantial public investment necessary to jump start the development and promotion of renewable energy sources and energy-efficient technologies. In the short term, this investment will create jobs producing renewable energy and technology. In the long term, new energy sources and more efficient technology promise environmental and public health benefits, as well as lower costs, for the American middle class. The bill also funds the investments in an appropriate way: by repealing taxpayer subsidies to the oil industry, which is already making booming profits at the expense of middle-class consumers.

Quotes from Experts

Beyond this Bill

Additional Resources

"New Energy for America: The Apollo Jobs Report for Good Jobs and Energy Independence,” from the Apollo Alliance

“Kick the Oil Habit: Stop the Subsidies” from the Center for American Progress

The Renewable Energy Policy Project

“Clean Energy,” from the Union of Concerned Scientists

College Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2008

hmoroz — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 14:23:44 -0500

Legislation

The middle class

Supports

Video Summary

Injustice Facts

Ratio of students at four-year colleges and universities with student loan debt by the time they graduated in 2004: 2/3

Percentage increase in the average student loan debt for graduating seniors from 2005 to 2006: 8

Percentage increase in starting salary offers for graduating seniors from 2005 to 2006: 4

Percentage of tuition and fees (including room and board) at public four-year colleges that was covered by the maximum Pell Grant in the 1986-1987 school year: 52

Percentage of tuition and fees (including room and board) at public four-year colleges that was covered by the maximum Pell Grant in the 2006-2007 school year: 32

Amount that the average college student pays for textbooks each year: $900

Number of students who have not received financial aid due to drug convictions since the provision went into effect in 2000: 200,000

Overview/Summary

Middle Class Position Analysis

Middle Class Supports. Although a college education is increasingly a prerequisite for a middle-class standard of living, aspiring middle-class and middle-class students are struggling more than ever to afford college. Indeed, in recent years the maximum Pell Grant, designed to provide financially strapped students with an opportunity to attend college, has failed to keep pace with rising higher education costs. 2007’s College Cost Reduction and Access Act, which increased the maximum Pell Grant and limited federal subsidies to student lenders in order to increase college financial aid by $20 billion, was a necessary first step in making college more affordable. The College Opportunity and Affordability Act’s additional increase of the maximum Pell grant will make college accessible to more aspiring middle-class Americans. Additionally, the expansion of the Pell Grant program to include year-round education supports the hardest-working students struggling to complete their educations quickly. Continued commitment to the TRIO and GEAR UP programs is critical to ensuring that first generation and at-risk students are able to obtain a college education and achieve a middle-class standard of living.

Furthermore, skyrocketing tuition costs and large and confusing debt obligations can make college impractical and financial stability after college difficult. Indeed, the College Board reports that average tuition and fees at four-year public institutions have increased 51% over the last five years and that private undergraduate loans have grown from 3% to 12% of the funds used to finance postsecondary education since the 1996-1997 school year . The College Opportunity and Affordability Act improves a private student loan system that has been characterized by favoritism and murky lending practices. The Act will not only put an end to the most egregious conflicts of interest, but will expand and simplify the information that is available to students and their families when deciding what loans are best. Ending such practices will ensure that students receive the most affordable loans, not loans that are the favorites of an unethical financial aid officer. A simplified application form for federal student aid will ensure that students are not dissuaded from seeking financial assistance for higher education because of complex paperwork. Publication of the tuitions of institutions that fail to rein in tuition hikes and the threatened reduction of federal aid if tuition increases are not contained are effective means to influence institutions of higher education to make college more affordable. Efforts to reduce the cost of textbooks will also be helpful to students struggling with high costs.

Quotes from Experts

Beyond this Bill

Additional Resources

Trends in College Pricing 2007, from the College Board

Paying Back, Not Giving Back: Student Debt’s Negative Impact on Public Service Career Opportunities, from U.S. PIRG

Student Debt and the Class of 2006, from The Project on Student Debt

National Infrastructure Bank Act of 2007

hmoroz — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 15:00:40 -0500

Legislation

The middle class

Video Summary

Injustice Facts

Overview/Summary

Middle Class Position Analysis

Quotes from Experts

Beyond this Bill

Additional Resources

Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act of 2008

atraub — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 11:13:40 -0500

Legislation

The middle class

Supports

Video Summary

Injustice Facts

Estimated total costs from hurricane damage, real estate losses, energy-sector costs, and water costs associated with global warming, if present trends continue, in dollars: 1.9 trillion

Estimated losses in damaged or destroyed residential real estate as a result of rising sea levels, in dollars: 360 billion

Projected percentage growth of U.S. carbon emissions between 2006 and 2030: 16

Number of states that are projected to face water shortages in the next five years: 36

Number of U.S. mayors that signed an agreement to meet or beat Kyoto Protocol targets for emissions reductions, as of June 2005: 141

Number of U.S. mayors that signed an agreement to meet or beat Kyoto Protocol targets for emissions reductions, as of June 2008: 850

Date on which President Bush sent a letter to U.S. Senators voicing his opposition to the Kyoto Protocol: March 13, 2001

Overview/Summary

Middle Class Position Analysis

Middle Class Supports. Human-caused climate change brought about in large part by greenhouse gases increasingly threatens Americans’ standard of living. A report recently released by the U.S. Climate Change Science Program, supported by the findings of the U.N.’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, warned of more heat-related deaths, increased risk of Lyme disease and West Nile virus, more extreme weather, and disruptions in population growth at the local level due to climate change. An American economy built on greenhouse gas emitting fossil fuels is unsustainable. By setting meaningful, yet achievable, goals for emissions reduction, the Climate Security Act is an important step to reorient the American economy towards sustainable growth. Though change will likely bring increased energy prices, the legislation appropriately directs funds to programs that will mitigate the pain felt by consumers and individuals working in affected industries. In particular, the creation of the Climate Change Worker Training and Assistance Fund is a forward-looking measure that will help American workers adapt to jobs that not only support energy efficiency, but pay decent wages as well. Funds to encourage energy efficient technology and mass transit projects are a further demonstration of a commitment to a sustainable and efficient economy.

Quotes from Experts

Beyond this Bill

Additional Resources

Global Warming Basics from the Pew Center on Global Climate Change

Policy Solutions from the National Resources Defense Council

Climate Assessments from the U.S. Government’s Global Change Research Program

Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007

atraub — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 16:37:08 -0500

Legislation

The middle class

Supports

Video Summary

Injustice Facts

Amount this legislation would save U.S. consumers in 2020, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists: $22 billion

Barrels of oil per day that would be saved in 2020 due to this bill: 1.1 million

Metric tons of global warming pollution that would be prevented by 2020 due to this bill: 190 million

Number of states, including the District of Columbia, that have already adopted renewable electricity standards: 26

Corporate profits made by oil company Exxon Mobile in the first three quarters of 2007: $28.95 billion

Average cost of a gallon of gasoline the week this legislation passed the House: $3.11

Overview/Summary

Middle Class Position Analysis

The Middle Class Supports. This legislation represents a major step toward redirecting U.S. energy usage in a cleaner, more sustainable direction. The bill will save American consumers money at the fuel pump and on their heating bills, reduce air and water pollution, and mitigate the threat of global warming. Like its earlier incarnation, the CLEAN Energy Act of 2007 this bill recognizes that fossil fuels are not a sustainable option for the nation’s growing energy needs, and that a substantial public investment is needed to jump start the development and promotion of renewable energy sources and energy-efficient technologies. In the short term, this investment would create jobs producing renewable energy and technology. In the long term, new energy sources and more efficient technology promise environmental and public health benefits, as well as lower costs, for the American middle class. The bill also funds the investments in an appropriate way: by repealing taxpayer subsidies to the oil industry, which is already making booming profits at the expense of middle-class consumers.

This legislation also goes beyond what the original CLEAN Energy Act attempted, by establishing a Renewable Electricity Standard and stricter fuel economy standards for cars. These improvements marshal even more of the nation’s resources in support of conservation and a shift toward renewable energy, building on advances already adopted in many states to create a more sustainable energy future for the nation.

Quotes from Experts

Beyond this Bill

Additional Resources

Union of Concerned Scientists Energy Bill Resource Center

“Reducing U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions: How Much at What Cost?” from McKinsey and Company

Pew Center on Global Climate Change Policy Center

Green Jobs Act of 2007

atraub — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 12:14:40 -0400

Legislation

The middle class

Video Summary

Injustice Facts

Overview/Summary

Middle Class Position Analysis

Quotes from Experts

Beyond this Bill

Additional Resources

Energy Policy Act of 2005

atraub — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 14:09:21 -0400

Legislation

The middle class

Opposes

Video Summary

Injustice Facts

Total cost of tax breaks and subsidies in this bill: $85.1 billion
Earnings of oil giant ExxonMobil in the first quarter of 2005: $7.86 billion
Value of subsidies to oil and gas companies like ExxonMobil contained in this bill: $6 billion
Approximate proportion of Americans who considered high gas prices “a hardship” in April 2005, according to Gallup: 6 in 10
Retail cost of one gallon of gasoline on August 8, 2005, the day President Bush signed this bill: $2.60
Estimated amount middle-class households spent on gasoline in 2005, not including taxes: $1,778

Overview/Summary

Middle Class Position Analysis

The Middle Class Opposes. The most startling thing about this legislation is what it does not do. In the first place, the 1,700-page multi-billion dollar bill fails to help middle-class consumers squeezed by high gas and fuel costs. The rollback in public safety protections also puts middle-class families at risk, for example by exempting oil and gas companies from the provisions of the Safe Drinking Water Act when these companies inject carcinogenic chemicals into the ground. At the same time, the deregulation of public utilities exposes the middle class to a different kind of risk: stemming from increased consolidation of utilities that could raise electric rates and manipulate energy markets. What the bill does do is provide massive taxpayer subsidies – to the tune of $85.1 billion dollars – for some of the world’s most profitable corporations, so that, among other things, they can drill on public land while paying the public less, ultimately leaving middle-class families to pick up a bigger share of the cost of public services. Finally, although the legislation comes at a time of overwhelming scientific evidence about the dangers of global warming and increased concern about the nation’s dependence on foreign oil, it does very little to address either problem, neglecting to even increase fuel efficiency standards for cars.

Energy conservation

Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act of 2008

Legislation

The middle class

Video Summary

Injustice Facts

Overview/Summary

Middle Class Position Analysis

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Quotes from Experts

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Beyond this Bill

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Additional Resources

Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2008

Legislation

The middle class

Video Summary

Injustice Facts

Overview/Summary

Middle Class Position Analysis

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Beyond this Bill

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College Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2008

Legislation

The middle class

Video Summary

Injustice Facts

Overview/Summary

Middle Class Position Analysis

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Beyond this Bill

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National Infrastructure Bank Act of 2007

Legislation

The middle class

Video Summary

Injustice Facts

Overview/Summary

Middle Class Position Analysis

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Quotes from Experts

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Beyond this Bill

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Additional Resources

Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act of 2008

Legislation

The middle class

Video Summary

Injustice Facts

Overview/Summary

Middle Class Position Analysis

Related Blog: Header

Quotes from Experts

Related Blog: Text

Beyond this Bill

Related Blog: Link

Additional Resources

Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007

Legislation

The middle class

Video Summary

Injustice Facts

Overview/Summary

Middle Class Position Analysis

Related Blog: Header

Quotes from Experts

Related Blog: Text

Beyond this Bill

Related Blog: Link

Additional Resources

Green Jobs Act of 2007