Statement On The Nomination of Senator Spence Abraham as Secretary of Energy

by Myron Ebell

Director of Global Warming & International Environmental Policy

Washington, D.C., January 3, 2001 – President-elect Bush's nomination of Senator Spencer Abraham to be Secretary of Energy is good news for America's consumers.  Secretary-designate Abraham’s strong pro-energy record in the Senate was based on understanding that our economic prosperity has been built on abundant supplies of inexpensive energy.     

While America has vast supplies of clean coal, natural gas, and petroleum, the Clinton-Gore Administration has done everything possible to prevent the sustainable development of these resources.  At the same time, it has favored tearing down dams that produce hydro-electric power and opposed new nuclear power plants. These policies are undermining our standard of living and threatening our national security.  We are now seeing the fruits of the misguided policies of the past eight years, with much higher energy prices, electricity shortages in California, and looming shortages of natural gas and heating oil.  These disasters have not resulted from the termination of government energy subsidies or from de-regulation.  Rather, they have been caused by policies that are anti-technology and anti-energy consumption.

Dealing with this emerging energy crisis will be one of the first major tests of the Bush Administration.  Spence Abraham is a great choice as Energy Secretary to take the lead in dealing with this challenge.  His Senate record is in full agreement with the Bush campaign's energy plan to encourage energy production, increase energy supplies, and lower energy prices.  These policies are both  pro-consumer and pro-environment. 

As Energy Secretary, Spence Abraham will also be in a key position to spell out and advocate the Bush campaign's opposition to the Kyoto global warming treaty.  As with previous anti-energy measures, Senator Abraham understands that if ratified and implemented the Kyoto Protocol would have enormous economic costs and no environmental benefits.             

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