HR 6049 is a bill which extends tax credits on both solar and wind energy. It includes continuing existing tax credits for solar and wind energy currently in existance, which if not extended will expire this year. These two forms of energy development continue to require tax credits to underwrite their ability to compete with existing forms of energy. Tax credits would maintain a growing industry which has evolved to a point of lowering the costs of producing wind or solar energy to a certain extent, but has not yet reached the level of being completely competitive with energy produced by extracting oil, natural gas, or coal from the ground or beneath the sea. The bill has been presented up to 8 times to date, and it has never moved to a position where it can be debated. Republicans are blocking its forward movement. Meanwhile bills addressing off shore oil drilling are up for debate, and stalled by Democrats. Finally nuclear energy issues are not being aggressively debated. During a year in which explosive price appreciation for oil in particular has adversely impacted this and every economy in the world, a year in which natural gas costs have risen and will impact families depending on that for heating oil, Congress, and the White House are simply stalling clear debate. Within the muckety muck of congress both parties are simply stalling the movement for bills to advance to discussion and debate. Meanwhile the year moves on, and the timing of this issue is facing short shrift. Currently, two impacts are being felt in the economy. Short term investment projects whose activity relied on the tax credits are being hurried toward completion before the end of the year. Long term projects are on complete hold. The further evolution of this industry is being whacked by Congressional and White House inaction. To date the Presidential candidates have been largely inactive on this issue with some degrees of difference. McCain has not voted once on this issue, having missed every single vote on the topic. Obama has voted for it a couple of times and missed most of the votes. Take a stand fellas. Tell us where you are on the issue. Energy is a critical and complex issue facing the US and the world. There are few issues more critical. Frankly we went to war in Iraq, at least in part because the mideast is the world's premier supplier of gas. Russia attacked Georgia in part becuase it carries a pipeline of natural gas that avoids Russian control. Inflation has hit the US and the world because of the energy crisis in a major way. It is destroying economies, leading to job losses, business collapses, etc. It is anything but trivial. As the election comes to a head it would be helpful to see Congress, the existing administration and the candidates address these issues in a meaningful way rather than through BS advertising and 30 second ads that are full of emotion and totally lack a meaningful effort to address all the complications and issues that these choices demand. In that this legislation isn't being moved forward and legislation about offshore drilling isn't being debated and nuclear issues aren't being debated, what we have is a government full of talk and no action. Get a move on it boys and girls.