SERIES OF SUCCESSFUL AMENDMENTS MAKE SWEEPING CHANGES TO ORIGINAL MEASURE WASHINGTON – Senator Frank H. Murkowski (R-AK), Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, today released the following statement regarding the significant progress made by Republicans to improve the Senate energy bill. “Every step of the way, Republicans have successfully improved the Senate energy bill. Amendment after amendment was approved, leaving this legislation changed for the better. “Republicans were not happy with the process that got this bill to the floor. But we knew that we needed to fix the bill in order to move it to conference. Over the past six weeks, Republicans offered a series of targeted amendments designed to help ensure our energy security and protect American families. “Because of Republican efforts, the Senate rejected CAFE proposals that would have left our families and children at risk. Instead, we let engineers and scientists – instead of Congress – set reasonable, safe fuel standards for autos. “Because of Republican efforts, the course has been set to clear the economic and regulatory hurdles to the tap vast natural gas reserves found in Alaska’s arctic. This gas, found at home, will help power a new generation of clean, efficient electricity plants while putting thousands of Americans to work. “Because of Republican efforts, we reigned in proposals to increase federal command and control over electricity markets, preserving the states’ ability to make the best choices for their own needs. And we prevented costly mandates that would have been passed directly to American families. “Because of Republican efforts, we’re tripling the amount of clean ethanol used in our autos, ensuring nuclear power plants continue on-line thanks to Price Anderson, and we’re helping to keep the atmosphere safer and cleaner. “As the Senate debate draws to a close, our work is not yet done. We will continue our efforts through conference to get this bill to the President. We must take steps now to ensure our nation’s future energy security. We can only ensure our energy security with a balanced, comprehensive energy plan. In a world growing more unstable, we simply cannot afford the alternative.” ###