Changes In Congress to Affect Energy Issues

Throughout his term, President Obama has been devoted to environmental reform. The economic crisis, however, overshadowed many of the changes that have been made. Although Obama has made headway, it is clear that had the economy not been in shambles, the country would have made even more progress. Showing his devotion, in May, the President said that this year would be the year to make a difference.

However, because of the recent election, it is expected that passing legislation on energy will be significantly more difficult. While Democrats typically focus on changes to improve the environment in the long run, Republicans are more concerned about how changes could affect the state of the economy. And while President Obama claims the energy programs that he wants to implement are economically sustainable, Republicans remain skeptical.

In addition to these party differences, there are divisions between states regarding energy reform. Coal states, such as Virginia and West Virginia, rely on this energy source as their main money-maker. For example, Joe Manchin, the West Virginia Senator is a Democrat, but was endorsed by the coal industry and mine workers during his campaign for Senate. Even when these states have Democrats in Congress, they are much more likely to be conservative when it comes to reforms on the industries that rule their economies.

Hopefully, Republicans and Democrats can work together to create changes that will benefit all of us. It is indisputable that our energy consumption is unsustainable, but what we do to tackle that issue resides in the new dynamic of Congress.