U.S. Rep. Randy Forbes' proposal to establish a "New Manhattan Project" to develop energy independence was at center stage in the U.S. House on Friday night as Republicans sought to derail the Democrats' climate control bill.
The Chesapeake Republican's bill, which he first suggested last year, proposes to make the United States 50 percent energy-independent from foreign oil in 10 years and completely independent within 20 years.
"It sends a shot across the bow of every country in the world that we're not going to surrender and we're going to compete," Forbes said during the debate. "It invigorates a whole generation of Americans to go into math and science and be a part of an energy solution for years to come."
Democrats were scornful of Forbes' amendment, which Republicans were offering as a substitute for the entire energy bill considered by the House on Friday.
"This amounts to a grant program and competition with prizes for good ideas.... Why didn't they give out prizes for the last eight years?" asked U.S. Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif.
Waxman said Forbes' amendment would be a weak substitute for the complex energy bill, which includes limits for the first time on carbon dioxide and green house gas emissions from power plants.
The House rejected the Forbes proposal, 255-172.
Forbes responded that the House Democratic leaders think they have a better idea of how to solve the nation's energy problems than the rest of the country.
He said his proposal would tell Americans "that when they're back on their heels that we trust that they, with their imagination, can do things that this body can't do."
Forbes proposed to offer billions of dollars in prizes and grants to spark aggressive research and development of complex technological challenges. The bill proposed to set up a commission of top scientists to recommend within one year what steps should be taken to make the nation energy-independent.
It is modeled after the Manhattan Project during World War II, which collected some of the nation's most knowledgeable scientists to develop the atomic bomb and spawn the nuclear age. Forbes says his legislation could cause a similar scientific breakthrough.
Among other proposals, Forbes' amendment would have offered $10 billion to develop a sustainable nuclear fusion
reaction to produce a large-scale source of electricity.
This report contains information from The Associated Press.
Bill Bartel, (757) 446-2398, bill.bartel@pilotonline.com
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Unless I'm overlooking it..
as of now, just before 1 PM, there is no mention of the cap and trade vote itself here on PilotOnline, while there is a story in the Pilot itself. The vote barely passed, lots of Dems having serious thoughts about it. But it DID pass. Another curious thing so far here online is that there is no mention of one of todays headline articles that lays out the (supposed) positions of all of our local elected Congresional officials, including our Senators, on Obama's health care takeover.
8 Republican Turncoats & 44 Democrat Patriots
http://michellemalkin.com/2009/06/26/the-8-cap-and-tax-republicans/
Thanks for voting “no”, Congressman Forbes and especially, Congressman Nye. It took a lot of courage for Congressman Nye to stick to his guns despite what must have been extreme pressure from his fellow party members. Hopefully the Senate will have enough time to actually read the bill before they have to vote on it.
(DDS, as always, your comment is spot on.)
Second that emotion
Agree on all counts w/ you, Marye24124.
I also encourage ALL citizens to call or e mail both Reps. Nye & Forbes first thing Monday a.m. & sincerely congratulate/thank them for doing the right thing. Likewise, contact Rep. Scott's & convey how dissapointed you are that he has no spine.
Now it's time to get to work on the Senators!
I watched CSPAN
and some of the debate. Here is another massive piece of legislation rammed down the throats of our representatives by democrat leaders and voted on without reading. Why are we accepting this behavior? Rep Boehner exposed many of the provisions of the 300 page amendment that appeared at 3am the day of the vote. If you like government intrusion into your lives, you got it. There are also representatives who are heavily invested in companies that will make out if this bill is enacted. There are too many people in congress who are looking out for their own best interests rather than that of the country.
As a conservative, I have to tip my hat to Rep Nye for voting against this horrible bill.
unbelievable
This "newspaper" beats all. Last night we had the infamous Cap & Trade Bill voted on by the U.S. House of Representatives.
The results were known early enough in the evening for there to have been plenty of time for the Pilot to cobble together an article by now to inform us of how each of our Representatives voted on what is purported to be the largest hidden tax increase ever jammed down our collective throats. However, thus far, not a word.
Biggest story they could find to feature is how some poor soul got royally hosed by the City of Virginia Beach & is now suing.
Those who are paying attention know the real reason there's no account of the House's action - just more shielding & protecting by the Pilot staff of the politicians who voted for this extreme Left legislation that, like the Porkulus Bill, was not allowed to be adequately researched or debated.
I pray that somehow, someway a genuine newspaper will find it's way into this area & show the Pilot what real news reporting & objectivity is about.
A better approach, but still...
I understand that Forbes felt it necessary tactically to offer an affirmative alternative to the Democrats monster tax bill, but even better, were the US population not so abysmally ignorant of economics, would be for the government to just stop throwing obstacles in the path of the free market and set the people of the US free to solve these problems without the heavy hand of government mucking it up.