Jeff Bingaman United States Senator from New Mexico

WASHINGTON – U.S. Jeff Bingaman today said he is disappointed that the Senate picked up just two votes in its effort to end a filibuster over a bill that would extend tax incentives needed to encourage renewable energy development.

Bingaman, who chairs the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, pointed out that this is the fourth time in the last year that the Senate has fallen short on the number of votes needed to extend the tax credits. The measure received just 52 votes today; it needed 60.

While most Senators say they favor the tax incentives, intended to give a boost to green energy technologies, Senate Republicans have blocked proposals that attempted to actually pay for the expensive extensions.

“These tax incentives are needed to encourage the advancement of fledgling solar, wind and other renewable energy technologies. I hope that we can come to an agreement on a way to extend these tax incentives and get them paid for,” Bingaman said.

Bingaman said the tax incentives were intended to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and shift our country more forcefully toward renewable energy, and in so doing create thousands of new “green collar” jobs.

Bingaman pointed out that the bill, called the Renewable Energy and Income Tax Relief Act, contained provisions he helped negotiate that would both fully fund the Payment in Lieu of Taxes program and restructure the Secure Rural Schools initiative. The changes to those programs would guarantee millions of dollars in additional revenue for New Mexico.