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U.S.
Senator Member of the Agriculture, Energy and Veterans Affairs
Committees |
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For Immediate
Release February 1, 2006 |
CONTACT: |
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ken Salazar (D-CO), Evan Bayh (D-IN), Sam Brownback (R-KS), Joe Lieberman (D-CT), and Norm Coleman (R-MN), along with Congressmen Jack Kingston (R-GA) and Eliot Engel (D-NY), today called on President Bush to follow up on his remarks in last night’s State of the Union address by supporting their bipartisan legislation to increase America’s energy independence. Last November, the bipartisan coalition introduced the Vehicle and Fuel Choices for American Security Act, which would mandate 2.5 million barrels in oil-savings in 10 years and would also encourage the mass-production of cars that can burn any combination of gasoline and alternative fuels or, alternatively, cars powered by efficient hybrid engines. In a letter that will be sent to the President today, the members express their support for the President’s call for energy independence and urge him to support their bipartisan legislation as the solution to America’s dependence on foreign oil. “The President’s State of the Union address shed a crucial light on the growing problem of America’s over-dependence on foreign oil,” Senator Salazar said. “But we need more than a carefully worded speech. More production of renewable fuels, combined with more development of wind, solar, biomass, and other renewable resources will move the United States closer to energy independence. The President can address America’s energy needs by supporting bipartisan legislation to create meaningful oil savings by providing concrete incentives to help us reach our goal of energy independence. If other countries less prosperous than us can establish successful renewable energy programs, surely the most powerful, prosperous and technologically advanced nation on Earth can do the same.” “Achieving energy independence is one of the greatest challenges of our generation, one that will impact everything from our national security to our economy,” Senator Bayh said. “Our bipartisan approach would achieve the greater oil savings than the President called for last night in half the time and provides us with a real plan to begin reducing our dependence on foreign oil today. We can't afford to rely on countries like Saudi Arabia and Venezuela for our energy needs any longer.” “We must address our dependence on foreign oil,” Senator Brownback said. “With the emerging ethanol and biodiesel markets here in the United States, we can be rely on the Midwest for our fuel and not the Middle East. This is a crucial economic and national security issue for our nation. I am glad the President has indicated his willingness to work on America’s addiction to foreign oil. I look forward to working with him on such a significant issue for our nation’s future.” “Energy independence is a matter of national security and its urgency demands that we take action now,” Lieberman said. “Last fall a large bipartisan -- and bicameral -- coalition of Senators and Representatives came together to offer a comprehensive bill that would turn the rhetoric of energy security into reality by saving millions of barrels of oil in just a few years and bringing new fuels and technologies to market within five years. The best way to reach the goals President Bush talked about in his State of the Union is for Congress to enact this legislation and for the President to support it and sign it into law.” “I was encouraged by the President’s bold stance on reducing our nation’s dependence on foreign energy,” said Coleman. “As a nation, we are finally coming to terms with our addiction to foreign oil. Without question, our reliance is the greatest threat to our economy, our security, and our freedom. I believe that with the full weight of the Administration, we can pass this historic legislation that puts America on the path to energy self-sufficiency.” “I was pleased that the President highlighted America's over-reliance on foreign oil in his State of the Union, and pledged his support to helping America realize its fuel independence,” Congressman Kingston said. “The President understands that we will be unable to drill or carpool our way out of the Middle East and must instead, embrace a new fuel strategy which includes speeding entry of 21st Century vehicles to the public, and embracing new, clean fuel choices. We have offered a bipartisan plan in the House and Senate to do just that and look forward to working with the President on this front.” “I am pleased that the President is finally putting forward sound ideas on energy policy and making them a top priority for 2006. United States’ energy policy is a matter of National Security, and should transcend party lines and ideology. We cannot cling to partisanship in such matters. Congress already has passed two flawed energy bills since President Bush took office, neither of which speaks to the goals of our bipartisan bill. Now that the President is endorsing our vision of alternative fuels, let us see him and Congress take action on our legislation,” said Congressman Engel, founder of the bipartisan Oil and National Security Caucus and a member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce. In addition to reducing the amount of oil used in America, the bill, which has 41 co-sponsors in the House and 12 co-sponsors in the Senate, would also:
-- Editor’s Note: Text of the Letter Attached -- February 1, 2006 Mr. President, We are writing to you to express our strong support for your call to reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil. As you expressed in your State of the Union speech last night, we must continue to expand our research and development efforts into vehicle and fuel technologies that will be available in the near term. By doing this we will help safeguard our national security, improve American competitiveness and protect our environment. We represent an emerging bi-partisan and bi-cameral consensus on legislative steps we can take this year to address our dependence on fossil fuels. In November, we introduced The Vehicle and Fuel Choices for American Security Act, which is focused on two important concepts. First, we must set visionary and achievable goals for reduced oil consumption and measure progress towards these goals as a national priority. Second, the most effective means to achieve these goals is by providing incentives to encourage manufacturers, distributors and consumers to utilize domestic resources to bring to the market a full range of 21st Century vehicles and fuels based on clean, renewable, non-oil based technologies. Flexible fuel electric hybrid vehicles that take advantage of fuels such as bio-ethanols, methanol, clean bio and coal diesels, and electricity, are here today and can dramatically reduce our oil consumption in the near future. By utilizing the programs authorized in our legislation, we believe that we can achieve crude oil savings of over 2.5 million barrels per day within a decade. This dedicated bi-partisan group looks forward to your support as we move our legislation forward to bring these ideas into action this year. ###
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