Rep Jay Inslee - Legislative Alert

From the desk of Representative Jay Inslee:


Congressman Jay Inslee represents the 1st Congressional District which includes Shoreline.
He made a floor speech in the House of Representatives about concerns on illegal subsidies in the bidding controversy for the air fueling tanker issue. Jay Inslee is a Democrat. http://www.house.gov/inslee/index.shtml

I want to alert you to a vote that took place just last night and may have a huge impact on Washingtonians.

Last night, the House of Representatives passed the Fair Defense Competition amendment by a vote of 410-8.  I crafted the amendment with a bipartisan group of House members, including my Washington colleague Rep. Rick Larsen.

In simple terms, this amendment requires the Department of Defense to consider illegal subsides received by a bidder in any proposal to build the next generation of air refueling tanker for the United States Air Force. 

This is what I said on the House floor just last night:  This is what I said on the House floor just last night:

"All Americans believe in a strong national defense and all Americans believe in a fairlevel playing field in economic competition.  In the competition for the procurement contract for the Air Force's next generation air-refueling tanker, to preserve national defense infrastructure, to preserve fairness, we need to assure that unfair competitive advantages, illegal subsidies, are in fact taken into consideration during this bidding process.  We have prepared an amendment to do that. 

This legislation will insist our bidding process be conducted fairly.  That when any bidder, domestic or foreign, has an unfair competitive advantage that it is taken into consideration. 

At stake are 50,000 American jobs and nothing in international law compels us to provide a stimulus program for France.  We know American aerospace workers can compete if they have a level playing field."  

Home Star Bill Passes House of Representatives

Home Star Energy Bill, co-sponsored by Congressman Jay Inslee passed the House of Representatives last week.

Representative has been a leader on energy policy for many years and has championed the 

Apollo Energy Project concept.

New Apollo Energy Project

(from Rep Inslee's Website

http://www.house.gov/inslee/html/issues_energy.shtml

He represents the 1st Congressional District)

The New Apollo Energy Project is a bold new energy policy that will marshal the resources of the federal government to provide a vision of how to solve the following challenges:

1. Breaking our addiction to Middle East oil and thereby improving our homeland and national security
2. Addressing the threat of global warming
3. Expanding our economy and creating millions of new jobs.

With our well-trained and highly talented workforce, intellectual capital, and entrepreneurial spirit, the Northwest is uniquely poised to lead the country, and the world, in the development of these clean energy technologies.

This message from David Bangs of Home Performance Washington.  Our state delegation was also in favor.

I'm happy to report that the Home Star bill we've been promoting has been passed by the U.S. House of Representatives!  Thanks to the following Washington State reps who voted in favor:  Jay Inslee (bill co-sponsor), Rick Larsen, Brian Baird, Norm Dicks, Jim McDermott and Adam Smith.  And thanks to all who reached out to your Congress Member and expressed your support.

We think Home Star is going to pass the Senate in early June and become the law of the land.   $6 Billion will be available for home energy retrofits nationwide, allocated to whichever states have contractors on the ground and customers applying for Home Star rebates.  Let's be ready and make those retrofits happen here in Washington!

Home Performance Washington has been working behind the scenes to raise awareness and encourage policymakers and program administers to be ready.  To maximize retrofits, we need existing financing and incentive programs to align with Home Star, a coordinated marketing message, and BPI accredited contractors staffed with certified technicians and ready to grow.

HPW is stepping up and working with organizations, utilities and agencies to encourage all that to happen.  Let's get behind Home Star and make it work for Washington.

--David

David Bangs
President, Home Performance Washington
Board Secretary, Efficiency First and Home Performance Resource Center www.homeperformancewashington.org / www.efficiencyfirst.org / www.hprcenter.orghome: (425)957-9733