The following is a written statement by Aileen Roder, Program Director at Taxpayers for Common Sense on S. 2095:

Washington, D.C. – Much has been said about the so-called new energy bill. Proponents are touting this legislative facelift as a compromise, but with whom? If you put a pig in a dress, and add lipstick, it is still a pig. The bill authors are merely rearranging the deckchairs on this titanic bill, and then are trying to keep it afloat with budget gimmicks and hocus-pocus.

Bill proponents pulled out dog-eared copies of Budget Gimmicks 201 and played with sunset dates for tax provisions, shifted direct spending into authorized spending, and hid actual program costs behind generic language. Let me be clear, the total cost of this bill is much, more than $14 billion.

Senator Domenici's bill still contains more than $72 billion in authorized spending plus an estimated $14 billion in tax subsidies. There are dozens of frivolous pet projects added in backrooms in order to buy key votes. If you believe that authorizations don't matter, then there is no money in this bill for LIHEAP, or Senator Steven's Denali Commission and the tooth fairy is the floor manager for this bill.

With record deficits, we need to just say no to Congress' spending addiction. Energy bill proponents are trying to squeeze this pig through the Capitol doors by slathering $86 billion worth of subsidies and wasteful provisions into this legislation; the Senate needs to reject this bill.

I have provided an analysis of the bill for you to review and would be happy to answer any questions.