WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, recently described as "Congress' leading proponent of American manufacturing," issued the following statement upon introduction of the American Power Act:
"We need an energy policy that reduces our dependence on foreign oil and addresses the serious threat of climate change. I applaud Senators Kerry and Lieberman for advancing this issue. Done right, a clean energy bill will also be a jobs bill.
"As the past few weeks have reminded us, our current course has real costs, whether in the Arabian Gulf or the Gulf of Mexico. Today's proposal is an important step in replacing our dependence on foreign oil with clean energy sources produced in America. We must do more to ensure that it promotes the competitiveness of American manufacturers, and provides more assistance to the consumers, industries, and states that would be most affected by the bill. As energy legislation moves forward in the Senate, I plan on working on these issues and ensuring that Ohio manufacturers can build the clean energy products that can be sold around the world."
Brown has been leading a group of senators in urging Senate leaders to promote American manufacturing competitiveness through clean energy legislation. In April, Brown led a letter signed by ten senators outlining a package of manufacturing competitiveness provisions.
Brown is author of the Investments for Manufacturing Progress and Clean Technology (IMPACT) Act, which would establish a $30 billion Manufacturing Revolving Loan Fund to help small and mid-sized manufacturers transition to the clean energy economy through retooling.
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