U.S. Senate candidate George Allen told about 100 supporters in Fredericksburg Saturday that he will introduce a bill on his first day in office to allow for the production of oil and natural gas on the Virginia coast. Allen made the same promise during his last visit to Fredericksburg in February for a Fredericksburg Virginia Patriots event.

But to introduce new legislation, Allen will have to beat Democrat Tim Kaine, who was attacked for what Allen called "cap and trade tax scheme" energy policies as a way to reduce industrial emissions of pollutants.

Allen made his comments at the Fredericksburg Victory Center in Central Park. Sen. Bryce Reeves and Del. Mark Cole, two conservative members of the Virginia General Assembly, introduced the former Virginia governor and former U.S. senator who was ousted in 2006 by Democrat Jim Webb. Now Kaine and Allen are vying for Webb's seat in the Nov. 6 election.

"Virginians, from the coal fields to our coast, are ready, willing and able to provide America with the energy to power our economy," Allen said. "And what's happening with EPA outlawing coal, it's going to affect all of us, not just the coalfields and the railroads, but anyone who uses electricity.

"And the Obama-Kaine approach of this cap-and-trade energy tax scheme, and they are having EPA put it in by that unelected, unaccountable bureaucracy. Everything is against us. And on day one folks, if you hire me to be your U.S. Senator, I am introducing a bill to allow us in Virginia to produce oil and natural gas off our coast."

Kaine has said that he supports offshore drilling, but the Allen campaign likes to point out that Kaine also favored the Obama administration's actions that have prevented the extension of the Keystone pipeline

Allen said the American people are losing control of their own destiny and have become vulnerable because of the country's nearly $16 million debt and its energy policies. Allen said Congress needs to rein in overspending, appeal the Affordable Care Act and pass a new tax code that is simpler and more fair.

"2012 is our generation's rendezvous with destiny," Allen said. "It is our time for choosing. As my father would say, 'The future is now.'"

Virginia is a swing state partially because until Obama won the election in 2008, every election since 1964 went to a Republican presidential nominee. The Allen-Kaine race is expected to be close and polls continue to have the two neck in neck.

"People are going to be watching Virginia," Allen said. "Virginia is going to decide who the next president of the United States is. Both sides understand that. People also understand that whoever wins this Senate seat is going to determine whether Harry Reid continues as majority leader and passing no budgets or we have common-sense conservatives, and obviously we want to increase the numbers in the House of Representatives. So, my friends, the future is in your hands."

More on Patch:

George Allen on Social Security

Tim Kaine on Social Security

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