Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid announced that Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) will take the lead for Senate Democrats’ efforts to make America energy independent by 2020.
This announcement comes as Democrats across the country rallied this week to fight for energy independence by 2020. In their states and local communities, Democrats at all levels of government have been fighting to stop price gouging, provide relief for high winter heating costs and put America squarely on the path towards energy independence.
“I am thrilled that Senator Cantwell has agreed to lead the Democratic caucus in this crucial effort to make America energy independent by 2020,” said Reid. “Her experience fighting for consumers during the Enron scandal and Western energy crisis make her the right choice to continue our effort to break our dependence on foreign oil and put working families ahead of the special interests.”
Senator Cantwell serves on both the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee as well as the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee making her ideally suited to tackle the crucial energy issues facing our nation.
Senator Cantwell successfully got Congress to ban some of the tactics Enron used to manipulate markets in their favor, and she also fought the Administration’s efforts to nearly double power rates in the Northwest.
“I look forward to tackling the task of making our country energy independent by 2020,” Cantwell said. “When the likes of Enron are allowed to gouge prices and manipulate markets, the only way to truly protect consumers from sky rocketing gas prices and jolting home heating bills is to diversify our energy sources.”
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