"The Gang of Ten" Sets Framework for an Energy Package

Ten members of the United States Senate has set up the framework for consideration of a future energy plan for America. The ten members, five Democrats and five Republicans have been working together for the past seven weeks to agree to the framework plan.

The first week that the Senate returns in September will be set up as a week that will explore the possibilities of this plan among the members of the Senate.

The plan will look at alternative energy as well as off shore drilling in the gulf region. Alternative energy such as biofuels and atomic energy along with the addition of drilling for oil and natural gas or joined together in the effort. Although not left out entirely, the idea of control of speculation as well as that of drilling in Anwar were left out of the plan.

The "Gang of Ten" is hoping to gather support over the August break from other Senators as well. They have sent letters to both the Senate majority leader as well as the Republican leader of the Senate expressing a strong desire to possibly move this into a bill to be addressed before the end of the year.

The ten also stated that the election in November played no role in their decision to move on this compromise among the two parties. In their press conference, they asked for Americans to stress the importance of action on this framework with their Senate representatives.

In regards to alternative energy, they would like to see 85% of all major transportation move to alternative energy in the nest 20 years. The cost would begin at 84 billion dollars. Most of this money would come from a repeal of the tax incentives that big oil companies now have. The gang of ten believe that these tax incentives are no longer needed with the money that they are now raking in.

As for as off shore drilling. they believe that the gulf region would not take as lone to get up and going as other areas of the country would. It would also steer away from the Anwar debate as well as that of control over speculators. These are two areas that the two parties have been fighting over for some time.

It would appear that these members of the "Gang of Ten" have had enough of the bickering going on in the Senate. They realize that the American consumer is hurting and that something needs to be done in both the near and far future. They expressed a strong concern to become independent when it comes to energy.

It is also a strong first step in moving towards the Independence of energy from foreign countries. They not only believe that this effort will free us from foreign oil use but, put people back to work in many different areas as well.

Saxby Chambliss (R) and Kent Conrad (D) are the two Senators leading the Gang of ten. By putting the framework up now, the Senate will have a chance to look it over before they resume back in September. At that time a Summit on energy is so suppose to take place during the first week. The gang of ten are committed into bringing the importance of a solid energy bill to the forefront of the Senate at that time.