It is Time to End Our Fix on Fossil Fuel

"I will work in Congress to pass legislation which emphasizes energy efficiency and sustainable energy, protects our environment and our national security and most importantly reduce he cost of Fuel." Yvette Clarke

The price of gas at the pump fluctuates daily, but it is now over 40 percent higher than when President Bush first took office. In Brooklyn, increased gas prices are taking a heavy bite out of workers' incomes. The high price of gas is also hurting the trucking industry, aviation, small businesses, tourism and, in fact, the entire American economy.

Meanwhile, as all Americans are experiencing a higher gas prices, the big oil companies are making out like bandits. Over the past four years, the five largest oil companies, Exxon-Mobil, Chevron, Conoco-Phillips, BP Amoco and Royal Dutch Shell have reaped over $205 billion in profits. In 2003 oil companies earned $87 billion in profits -- an increase of almost 40 percent. This year all the oil companies made record breaking profits

Technology is now available to not only move our country away from fossil fuels and into sustainable energy, but to greatly increase energy efficiency in every aspect of our lives -- including transportation. Instead of driving vehicles which get lower mileage per gallon than we used to, we should raise fuel efficiency standards for automobiles and SUVs so that we do not continue to waste huge amounts of oil. If we raised average fuel standards to 45 miles per gallon for cars and 34 mpg for SUVs over the next decade, we could save consumers $80 billion a year at the pump, 1.3 billion gallons of oil a year, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 1.5 trillion pounds a year. It's a win-win -- good for consumers and good for the environment.

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Endorsements

Hon. Betsy Gotbaum
NY Public Advocate

Hon. C. Virginia Fields
Manhattan Borough Pres.

Hon. Anthony Weiner
U.S. Congress

Hon. Donna Christian-Christensen
U.S. Representative for US Virgin Islands

Hon. Bill de Blasio
Councilmember, 39th CD

Hon. Kendall Stewart
Councilmember, 45th CD

Hon. Melissa Mark-Viverito
Councilmember, 8th CD

Hon. Annabel Palma
Councilmember, 18th CD

Hon. Rosie Mendez
Councilmember, 2nd CD

Hon. Helen Sears
Councilmember, 25th CD

Hon. John Liu
Councilmember, 20th CD

Hon. Melinda Katz
Councilmember, 29th CD

Hon. Helen Foster
Councilmember, 16th CD

Hon. Darlene Mealy
Councilmember, 41st CD

Hon. Alan Gerson
Councilmember, 1st CD

Hon. Miguel Martinez
Councilmember, 10th CD

Hon. James Sanders, Jr.
Councilmember, 31st CD

Hon. Phil Reed

Hon. Mayor Wayne Hall
Mayor Hempstead, LI

Hon. Nick Perry
Assemblymember, 58th AD

Hon. John Sampson
NY State Senator, 19th

Alan Fleishman
District Leader, 52nd AD

Rev. Dr. Paul Smith

Roberta Flack

Emily's List

Women Building for the Future PAC

National Women's Political Caucus

Women's Campaign Forum

Jim Owles Democratic Club

Stonewall Democratic Club

Caribbean American Leadership Summit

100 Clergy for Clarke

Progressive Democrat Political Association

Guyanese-American Workers United

Men and Women Against Domestic Violence

1199/SEIU

32BJ

District Council 9, Painters

Local 420, Hospital Wkrs, DC37 AFSCME

Mason Tenders District Council, LIUNA

United Food and Commerical Workers (UFCW), Local 1500

International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT), Joint Council 16

UNITE / HERE!

Hotel Trades Council (NYC)

HERE, Local 6 (Hotel Workers)

Carpenters, Local 926 (Brooklyn)