Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009 - 13

New vehicle technologies capable of significantly reducing our oil consumption; n Advanced energy storage and transmission that would greatly help the economics of new electric-generating technologies and plug-in hybrids; n Technologies for capturing and sequestering greenhouse gases produced by coal plants; and n A new generation of nuclear electric technologies that address cost, safety, waste disposal and proliferation risks. I also will work closely with utilities to introduce a digital smart grid that can optimize the overall efficiency of the nation’s electric utility system, by managing demand and making effective use of renewable energy and energy storage. Second, it is essential that we create a strong, predictable market for energy innovations with concrete goals that speed introduction of innovative products and provide a strong incentive for private R&D investment in energy technologies. These concrete goals include: n Increasing fuel economy standards 4 percent per year and providing loan guarantees for domestic auto plants and parts manufacturers to build new fuel-efficient cars domestically; n Increasing new building efficiency by 50 percent and existing building efficiency by 25 percent over the next decade, and taking other steps that will reduce the energy intensity of our economy 50 percent by 2030; n Extending the Production Tax Credit for five years and creating a federal Renewable Portfolio Standard that will require that 10 percent of American electricity be derived from renewable sources by 2012, and 25 percent by 2025; and n Ensuring that regulations and incentives in all federal agencies support the national energy and environmental goals in ways that encourage innovation and ingenuity. I also will encourage communities around the nation to design and build sustainable communities that cut energy use with walkable community designs and expanded investment in mass transit. n ACEC: Like most businesses, the rising cost of health insurance continues to be a major issue of concern to the engineering industry. What is your strategy for controlling health care costs? n n n OBAMA: I am committed to signing health legislation by the end of my first n term in office that ensures all Americans have affordable, accessible health care coverage. My plan will save a typical American family up to $2,500 every year on medical expenditures. Our plan maintains patient choice and ACEC: Do you see future establishes a National Health changes in the tax code as Insurance Exchange with a I will enter necessary to promote ecorange of private insurance into a new nomic growth and, if so, options, as well as a new public health plan to allow indi- partnership with what policies will you providuals and small businesses state and local mote as president? to buy affordable and accescivic, political OBAMA: After working-age sible health coverage similar and business households have seen real to that available to federal employees. The plan will leaders to enact income declines of $2,000— which provide tax credits to people a truly national and during a time in seeing typical families are so they can afford health care infrastructure the costs of health insurance, and will reduce the typical policy that gas prices and college tuition family’s health care costs by $2,500 per year by modernrecognizes that spiral each and every year— izing our inefficient health we must upgrade there is an urgent need for middle-income tax relief to care delivery system. Inefficient and poor quality care our infrastructure help families maintain ecoto meet the nomic security as well as costs the nation $50 billion invest in their futures. I will to $100 billion every year. demands of offer 95 percent of working Billions more are wasted on a growing Americans and their famiadministration and overhead population, lies a tax cut of up to $1,000 because of inefficiencies in a changing each and every year. I also the health care system. will offer new tax credits for I believe we must dramatieconomy and retirement savings, cally redesign our health sysour short- and families’expenses and mortcollege tem to reduce inefficiency and waste and improve long-term energy gage interest payments, to challenges. help Americans build nest health care quality, which eggs and move up the ecowill drive down costs for families and individuals. We can improve nomic ladder. efficiencies and lower costs in the health Meanwhile, I have laid out a pragmatic, care system by: sensible approach to deliver middle-class n Offering federal reinsurance to employtax relief in a fiscally responsible way. I will ers to help ensure that unexpected or raise revenue for the federal government at catastrophic illnesses do not make health the same time as cutting taxes for middleinsurance unaffordable or out of reach income families by closing inefficient tax for businesses and their employees; loopholes, cracking down on offshore tax January / February 2009 enGIneerInG InC. Ensuring that patients receive and providers deliver the best possible care; Adopting state-of-the-art health information technology systems; Reforming our market structure to increase competition in the insurance industry; and Reducing prescription drug costs by allowing the government to negotiate for cheaper Medicare Part D drugs and allowing the importation of safe, less expensive drugs from developed nations such as Canada. aP Photo/alex Brandon 13
Engineering Inc. - January/February 2009

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