Advanced Energy Perspectives

AEE is taking its message of a pragmatic, business-focused approach to energy tax policy to Capitol Hill and beyond – and it’s resonating. On AEE’s first Congressional fly-in on April 11, top executives from a dozen AEE member companies and eight state partner organizations talked with 32 Members or senior staff of Senate Finance, House Ways & Means, and congressional leadership – all over the course of a single day. 

Time has come for the federal government to deploy taxpayer dollars in energy more effectively to ensure secure, clean, affordable energy here at home and promote technology development for meeting growing energy needs around the world. 

President Obama on March 26 signed the continuing resolution that will keep the government funded through September 30, the end of its fiscal year.  Though the stopgap measure included $85 billion in sequestration cuts, the White House stated that the President’s signature should not be interpreted as endorsement of the sequester as a deficit reduction strategy.  Soon thereafter, the White House announced it would release its long overdue Fiscal Year 2014 budget proposal to Congress on April 10.  As we previously reported, a White House Fact Sheet outlines several requests for increased funding of energy programs, including a 20 percent increase at the Bureau of Land Management for permitting of oil, gas, and renewable energy, and $40 million in research to ensure safe and responsible natural gas production.