Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

Brown Update

By

Here’s the email:

   Thank you for contacting me regarding the Section 1603 Treasury Grant Program.  As always, I value your input, and strive to keep you updated on the important issues facing us today.

    As you may know, Section 1603 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act [P.L. 111-5] established the Treasury Grant Program, which aims to spur development in the alternative energy field by providing grants to energy developers.  This program allows clean energy developers to apply for government funding of up to 30% of the total operating cost of their projects.  To date, over $5 billion has been allocated through this program to support ventures focused on clean energy such as wind and solar projects.  On December 17, 2009, Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) introduced the Renewable Energy Incentive Act (S. 2899), which would extend the Section 1603 Treasury Grant Program for two years.  This legislation is currently under review by the Senate Committee on Finance, of which I am not a member.

    I understand your support for the Section 1603 Treasury Grant Program.  Like you, I believe it is critical for the United States to continue taking steps to transition to cleaner energy, and I support the development of viable, clean energy sources including wind, solar, hydroelectric, safe nuclear, and geothermal.  These technologies should be harnessed not only for the environmental benefits they would bring, but also for the jobs they could create.  Should an extension of the 1603 Grant Program come before the full Senate, it will most likely be part of a larger package of various tax provisions that are due to expire at the end of the year.  As the legislative process moves forward, I will keep your thoughts in mind.

    Again, thank you for sharing your views with me.  Should you have any additional questions or comments, please feel free to contact me or visit my website at www.scottbrown.senate.gov.

     Sincerely,

    Scott P. Brown

    United States Senator

Please share widely!
fb-share-icon
Tweet
0

Comments

  1. I got more or less the same thing when I contacted him about the DREAM Act.

    <

    p>—

    Thank you for your letter regarding the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act of 2009 (S. 729).  As always, I value your input on this and other issues, and strive to keep you updated on the important issues facing us today.

        On March 26, 2009, the DREAM Act was introduced by Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL).  This bill would authorize the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to cancel the removal of, and give conditional permanent resident status to, an alien who entered the U.S. prior to his or her 16th birthday and has lived in the U.S. for a period of 5 years.  Such a resident must also meet other requirements, such as be judged to be of good moral character, not inadmissible or deportable under the Immigration and Nationality Act, be admitted to a higher education institution or have completed high school or the equivalent, never been under a final order of deportation, and be under 35 years of age at the time of this Act’s enactment.

        Furthermore, the DREAM Act sets parameters for conditional permanent resident status, and the process by which one transitions from conditional to permanent residency status.  Under S. 729, an undocumented alien would also be authorized to petition the Secretary for conditional permanent residency if that individual has satisfied all of the above requirements prior to the enactment of the Act.  Currently, S. 729 is before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary where it awaits further consideration.  While I am not a member of this committee, I will certainly monitor the progress of this bill.

        As you may know, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) announced on September 14, 2010, that he would offer the DREAM Act as an amendment to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 Defense Authorization bill (S. 3454) as well as not allow a fair and open debate on the bill.  I was disappointed that he chose to play politics with necessary support for our troops and national defense by trying to tack on the DREAM Act, which is unrelated to the daily operations of the Department of Defense.  I remain committed to reforming our legal immigration system and streamlining the legal process; however, I have consistently opposed proposals that extend taxpayer benefits to those here illegally or give incentives for illegal immigration.  On September 21, 2010, the Senate voted 56 to 43, where 60 affirmative votes were needed, not to move forward with debate on the Defense Authorization bill.  I joined colleagues from both sides of the aisle to oppose this vote.

        Again, thank you for sharing your views with me.  As the legislative process moves forward, I will keep your thoughts in mind.  If I can be of further assistance, do not hesitate to contact me or visit my website at http://www.scottbrown.senate.gov.

          Sincerely,
        Scott P. Brown
        United States Senator

  2. I had a slightly different experience last week.  I received a fairly detailed letter thanking me for expressing my support for a transportation bill, and it said that Senator Brown would take my views under consideration.

    <

    p>It was a fine form letter except that I never contacted him about a transportation bill, or any other matter in the recent past, and I have no idea why they sent it to me.

  4. … is for the cleantech business community to stand up, united, and throw its weight around.  That community is big enough, and Massachusetts is small enough, that it’ll make a difference.  Tell Scott Brown that he’d damn well better vote for cleantech funding or else that business community’s money will be contributed to a future opponent … THAT will get his attention.

    <

    p>And consequently, a key way for progressives to promote cleantech investment is to have a full-fledged alliance with the entrepreneurs, engineers, researchers — and yes, the venture capitalists and other investors — who are striving to make that cleantech vision a reality.

Archives