On Capitol Hill, the administration promoted energy-related matters in the third week of February while Congress was in recess for the Presidents’ Day holiday. While speaking to college students in Miami February 23, President Obama criticized the pro-drilling approach of Republicans and the reluctance of the oil and gas industry to relinquish its rights to $4 billion a year in tax breaks, which the President has called for zeroing out in his fiscal year 2013 budget request.

Separately, the administration acknowledged that gas prices are rising faster and earlier this year than ever before and is using this issue to remind Americans that developing clean, alternative energy sources is critical. Also, after two years of speculation, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner last week unveiled the administration’sproposal for tax reform. Among other provisions, including reductions in the corporate and manufacturing tax rates, the proposal would make the tax credit for the production of renewable electricity permanent.