2014 Iowa Senate Debates: on Energy & Oil


Bruce Braley: Supported Keystone Pipeline initially, then rejected it

Braley, a congressman since 2006, defended flip-flopping on the Keystone Pipeline. Republican ads have suggested he opposes the pipeline because of the support he's getting from [Super-PAC billionaire Tom] Steyer. "When the pipeline was first brought before Congress, there were a lot of promises made. That's why I voted for it in committee," Braley said. "But then when it came for a vote on the floor, United States, and there was no guarantee it was going to create a significant number of jobs that were going to benefit Iowa."
Source: Politico.com e-zine on 2014 Iowa Senate debate Sep 28, 2014

Joni Ernst: Drives hybrid car, but doubts climate change is man-made

Ernst said she does not know if climate change is man-made. Braley attacked her for wanting to eliminate the Environmental Protection Agency and the Clean Water Act. "I do believe in protecting our environment," said Ernst. "I drive a hybrid car, and my family recycles everything. So I don't know the science behind climate change. I do believe in protecting our environment, but without the job killing regulations that are coming out of the EPA."
Source: Politico.com e-zine on 2014 Iowa Senate debate Sep 28, 2014

Doug Butzier: Prioritizing green energy is just tax favors

Q: Do you support or oppose the statement, "Prioritize green energy"?

A: Absolutely not. Tax favors only enrich those companies at the expense of the taxpayer.

Source: E-mail interview: 2014 Iowa Senate race with OnTheIssues.org Sep 17, 2014

Joni Ernst: Meeting with Big Oil doesn't make me feel uncomfortable

Billionaire Tom Steyer's new ad against Republican Joni Ernst slams the Senate hopeful for opposing the renewable fuel mandate in Iowa. The 30-second ad buy by Steyer's NextGen Climate group highlights a meeting between Ernst, ExxonMobil and the American Petroleum Institute (API).

While ExxonMobil and API oppose the mandate, which requires refiners to mix a set amount of ethanol and other biofuels into the nation's fuel supply, Ernst is quoted in a clip stating the meeting with industry didn't make her "feel uncomfortable."

The ad scolds Ernst for "her big oil backers," which NextGen claims are "trying to gut Iowa renewables."

While the ad blasts Ernst for being against the renewable fuel standard, Steyer has criticized ethanol in the past. In an interview in 2010, Steyer said ethanol was not the way to go. NextGen also has routinely criticized any expansion of fossil fuels, and continued use of them in order to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Source: The Hill PacWatch on 2014 Iowa Senate debate Aug 19, 2014

Sam Clovis: No subsidies for wind and solar

Question topic: Governments should pay to develop wind and solar energy solutions when these are not economically feasible.

Clovis: Strongly Disagree

Source: Faith2Action iVoterGuide on 2014 Iowa Senate race Jul 2, 2014

Sam Clovis: Obama's "Climate Resilience Fund" just redistributes wealth

President Obama is set to announce a new initiative called a "Climate Resilience Fund," estimated to cost American taxpayers $1 billion. "It seems the President is a little late in realizing that climate resilience ought to be a topic of interest for his administration. Communities across America struggle each day to build resilience. How cynical of the President to use 'Climate Change' as the impetus to redistribute more wealth," said Sam Clovis, conservative candidate for the US Senate.

"Serious research and hard work have gone into building resilience in communities around the country," continued Clovis. "The President's plan is nothing more than a grandstand play to take attention away from his failed administration. Of course, one has come to expect such deception and diversion from this administration. It is hard to believe that so many in whom we have entrusted our governance could be so truthfully challenged."

Source: CaffeinatedThoughts.com on 2014 Iowa Senate race Feb 18, 2014

Matthew Whitaker: Cap-and-trade proposal stifles the American dream

A common theme of the night [among Republican candidates] was the belief that the generations of today and tomorrow won't have the opportunities that have been afforded them. "The American Dream is under dramatic challenges today," said Matt Whitaker.

Source: Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier on 2014 Iowa Senate race Sep 23, 2013

  • The above quotations are from 2014 Iowa Senate Debates.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Energy & Oil.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by Matt Whitaker on Energy & Oil.
  • Click here for more quotes by Joni Ernst on Energy & Oil.
Candidates and political leaders on Energy & Oil:

Retired Senate as of Jan. 2015:
GA:Chambliss(R)
IA:Harkin(D)
MI:Levin(D)
MT:Baucus(D)
NE:Johanns(R)
OK:Coburn(R)
SD:Johnson(D)
WV:Rockefeller(D)

Resigned from 113th House:
AL-1:Jo Bonner(R)
FL-19:Trey Radel(R)
LA-5:Rod Alexander(R)
MA-5:Ed Markey(D)
MO-9:Jo Ann Emerson(R)
NC-12:Melvin Watt(D)
SC-1:Tim Scott(R) 		Retired House to run for Senate or Governor:
AR-4:Tom Cotton(R)
GA-1:Jack Kingston(R)
GA-10:Paul Broun(R)
GA-11:Phil Gingrey(R)
HI-1:Colleen Hanabusa(D)
IA-1:Bruce Braley(D)
LA-6:Bill Cassidy(R)
ME-2:Mike Michaud(D)
MI-14:Gary Peters(D)
MT-0:Steve Daines(R)
OK-5:James Lankford(R)
PA-13:Allyson Schwartz(D)
TX-36:Steve Stockman(R)
WV-2:Shelley Capito(R) 		Retired House as of Jan. 2015:
AL-6:Spencer Bachus(R)
AR-2:Tim Griffin(R)
CA-11:George Miller(D)
CA-25:Howard McKeon(R)
CA-33:Henry Waxman(D)
CA-45:John Campbell(R)
IA-3:Tom Latham(R)
MN-6:Michele Bachmann(R)
NC-6:Howard Coble(R)
NC-7:Mike McIntyre(D)
NJ-3:Jon Runyan(R)
NY-4:Carolyn McCarthy(D)
NY-21:Bill Owens(D)
PA-6:Jim Gerlach(R)
UT-4:Jim Matheson(D)
VA-8:Jim Moran(D)
VA-10:Frank Wolf(R)
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Page last updated: Dec 06, 2018