Obama renews pitch for energy bill

WASHINGTON, June 25 (UPI) -- President Barack Obama repeated his support of energy legislation in the U.S. House, saying it's time for the country to lead a global clean energy economy.

"I know this is going to be a close vote," Obama said in a statement Thursday. "But my call to those members of Congress who are still on the fence, as well as to the American people, is this: We cannot be afraid of the future. And we can't be prisoners of the past."

The move toward "a vote of historic proportions" would open the door to a new clean energy economy, Obama said in a statement. Party leaders said a vote could come Friday.

"For more than three decades, we've talked about our dependence on foreign oil," Obama said. "And for more than three decades, we've seen that dependence grow."

The energy bill would create incentives that would "spark a clean energy transformation of our economy," spur development of low-carbon and alternative energy sources and lead to energy savings.

The legislation also would create jobs that can't be outsourced overseas, he said.

He said provisions of the bill would not increase the deficit because they're paid for "by the polluters who currently emit dangerous carbon emissions."

It's no longer a question about whether 21st century jobs and industries would revolve around clean renewable industry, Obama said.

"The only question is which country will create these jobs and these industries?" he said. "And I want that answer to be the United States of America."