Pat Toomey on Energy & Oil Republican Jr Senator; previously Representative (PA-15)

Corn ethanol is corporate welfare that hurts oil refineries

McGinty supports the use of corn ethanol as a renewable fuel that can replace the need for some fossil fuels, according to her campaign. A 2007 federal law requires companies to blend billions of gallons of ethanol into their gasoline.

Toomey has co-sponsored legislation that would kill the fuel-blending requirement that is typically satisfied by corn ethanol, but leave intact a separate requirement for refiners to blend in different renewable additives, albeit at smaller amounts.

End ethanol subsidy but don't raise taxes

My amendment won handily on a bipartisan vote of 73 to 27 margin. Democrats had been persuaded by senators like Dianne Feinstein who argued [against government intervention].Meanwhile, nearly all Republicans who had signed Norquists's "Taxpayer Protection Pledge," which Norquist had decided to interpret inappropriately, joined me in supporting genuine tax reform.

Even freshman fiscal hawk Sen. Patrick Toomey (R-PA), who called the pledge a useful tool in uniting Republicans, acknowledged having "subtle" differences with Norquist. "I am not interested in raising taxes," he said. "But I am interested in ending ethanol subsidies."

We need oil from deep water wells despite the Gulf spill

Sestak has endorsed legislation that would bring Marcellus Shale drilling under the oversight of the Safe Drinking Water Act. He has echoed Pres. Obama's call for a strict moratorium on offshore drilling.

Those issues have provided ammunition for persistent sniping: "Toomey sides with Big Oil in the wake of BP disaster," Sestak charged in a press statements. "On energy, Sestak to the left of many Democrats," a Toomey statement contended.

Increase domestic supply instead of cap-and-trade

Toomey claims Sestak's voting record is more liberal than the views of his state on energy as on other issues. On cap and trade, for example, Toomey notes that four of Sestak's colleagues in the House Democratic delegation voted against the bill. All of those Democratic "no" votes came from districts carried by Sen. John McCain in the 2008 presidential race.

In Congress and later as president of the Club for Growth, Toomey argued that a major solution to the nation's energy problems was in increasing the supply of domestically produced oil, whether from the ocean floor or from such currently protected areas as the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Global warming exists, but not necessarily due to humans

Sestak said global warming is principally man-made, citing a series of scientific findings on the matter.

The opponents split this week on a closely watched Senate bill that would have stripped the EPA of the ability to regulate carbon dioxide emissions.

Sestak's campaign said he would have opposed the measure. Toomey supported the bill, calling the EPA's regulatory proposals a back-door effort to institute a cap-and-trade system, which is stalled in the Senate.

Drill ANWR; drill offshore; drill Marcellus Shale

Voted YES on barring EPA from regulating greenhouse gases.

1. Water vapor
2. Carbon dioxide
3. Methane
4. Nitrous oxide
5. Sulfur hexafluoride
6. Hydrofluorocarbons
7. Perfluorocarbons
8. Any other substance subject to, or proposed to be subject to regulation to address climate change.

Proponent's Argument for voting Yes:
[Sen. McConnell, R-KY]: The White House is trying to impose a backdoor national energy tax through the EPA. It is a strange way to respond to rising gas prices. But it is perfectly consistent with the current Energy Secretary's previously stated desire to get gas prices in the US up to where they are in Europe.

Opponent's Argument for voting No:
[Sen. Lautenberg, D-NJ]:We hear the message that has been going around: Let's get rid of the EPA's ability to regulate. Who are they to tell us what businesses can do? Thank goodness that in this democratic society in which we live, there are rules and regulations to keep us as a civilized nation. The Supreme Court and scientists at the Environmental Protection Agency agreed that the Clean Air Act is a tool we must use to stop dangerous pollution. This amendment, it is very clear, favors one group--the business community. The Republican tea party politicians say: "Just ignore the Supreme Court. Ignore the scientists. We know better." They want to reward the polluters by crippling EPA's ability to enforce the Clean Air Act.
Status: Failed 50-50 (3/5 required)

Voted YES on passage of the Bush Administration national energy policy.

Voted YES on implementing Bush-Cheney national energy policy.

Voted NO on raising CAFE standards; incentives for alternative fuels.

Voted NO on prohibiting oil drilling & development in ANWR.

Voted NO on starting implementation of Kyoto Protocol.

Opposes passage of Cap-and-Trade energy legislation.

Faith2Action.org is "the nation's largest network of pro-family groups." They provide election resources for each state, including Voter Guides and Congressional Scorecards excerpted here. The Faith2Action survey summarizes candidate stances on the following topic: 'Passage of Cap-and-Trade Energy Legislation'