Letter: Bill won’t solve energy needs

Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2003 | 8:48 a.m.

The American people need and deserve an energy policy that would move toward dependable, low-cost electricity and the environmentally friendly use of fossil fuels. Unfortunately, the White House has fashioned, in secret meetings, an energy bill that would be destructive to the consumer and the environment while doing nothing to improve the electricity grid or reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

The energy bill comes to the Senate floor this week but the final form will not be known to the Democrats until Sunday because the Republicans are adding the final touches in a closed-door session. One thing is clear: The bill will be a giveaway to big energy corporations at the expense of the consumer.

One provision calls for the repeal of the Public Holding Company Act. This is the only thing that would prevent a few global companies from controlling energy and dictating price and policy beyond the control of a legislature. I hope that when the Democrats are finally permitted to read the bill, they will do whatever they can to defeat it, including a filibuster.

JERRY BITTS

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