Al Gore bashes Capitol Hill cut to renewable energy program

Al Gore is upset that Capitol Hill lawmakers are cutting $1.5 billion in renewable energy project loan guarantees to help fund state aid legislation aimed at preventing teacher layoffs and covering Medicaid costs.

Renewable-energy groups are furious over the latest raid on the Energy Department loan program, which was also the source of $2 billion in funding for the “Cash for Clunkers” rebates a year ago.

“These rescissions put into jeopardy the green jobs that the administration has touted as part of our clean-energy future and put us further behind the rest of the world,” Gore said on his website Monday afternoon.

The House is slated to vote Tuesday on the $26 billion state aid package the Senate approved last week. Gore said the underlying state aid bill is important legislation, but believes the loan-guarantees cut is the “wrong way on renewables.”