Washington, D.C. – Senate Energy & Natural Resources Chairman Pete V. Domenici today praised House colleagues for passing comprehensive energy legislation that will create nearly 1 million new jobs, improve the nation’s energy security and ensure affordable and reliable energy for all Americans. The House this afternoon approved the Energy Policy Act of 2003 by a bipartisan vote of 246-180, with 46 Democrats supporting the bill. Senator Domenici’s statement: “I congratulate my House colleagues for their swift consideration and strong support for this historic legislation. I am confident of a similar success in the Senate. “There is widespread, grassroots support for this bill across the nation. More than 95 national groups has issued formal letters of support for the bill in recent days. Nearly 1,500 state, local and regional groups have issued public statements of support. “This broad, deep support comes from renewable energy groups such as the Solar Energy Industries Association and the Geothermal Association. It comes from manufacturing groups, from the farming community, the electricity industry and more than a dozen labor unions. “These groups recognize what this bill does for clean and renewable energy. They recognize the new steps we take to help Americans conserve more energy. They recognize that we are creating nearly 1 million jobs across all sectors of the economy. “Senators, both Republican and Democrat, are feeling the intensity of this broad support. I am confident this bill with pass the Senate as successfully as it passed the House today.” ###