The United States imports more than 13 million barrels of oil per day, mostly to fuel our cars and trucks. Few Americans would dispute that as a result we are far too dependent on foreign countries – and volatile ones at that – for this energy.
The first major step our country can take is to dramatically ramp up the use of renewable energies, such as electricity produced from the sun and wind, and home-grown transportation fuels like ethanol and biodiesel. We’ve already begun that process. Two years ago, Senator Domenici and I helped write the Energy Policy Act 2005, which expanded the federal tax incentives for electricity production from wind, solar, biomass, and other renewable sources. The act also required that 7.5 billion gallons per year of renewable fuels, including ethanol, be used in motor vehicles by 2012.
But we must do much more. At the national level, we should follow New Mexico’s lead, and require utility companies to produce at least 15 percent of electricity from renewable sources. We can make this happen more quickly by providing incentives in the form of subsidies and tax relief to producers of renewables, and also to households using energy efficient technology.
Another way we can become more energy independent is to get more out of the energy we use. There is no reason American manufacturers can’t make more fuel efficient vehicles, or air conditioners and refrigerators that run on less energy.
Extremely valuable research in the area of clean and efficient technology is taking place at
Sandia and
Los Alamos national laboratories. Sandia scientists are working on research to replace the light bulb with highly efficient
LED solid state lighting. Researchers are also working on a more powerful electric car battery, which can store renewable energy from solar cells. At Los Alamos, engineers are working on technology that will allow us to burn coal without releasing
greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The labs are poised to take on an even greater role, and we should make a more significant federal investment in them.
As cutting-edge renewable energy and energy efficient technology advances, the federal government should be among the first consumers of it. By purchasing flexible-fuel vehicles and using more efficient lighting, the federal government will help create a market for these technologies while putting taxpayer dollars to good use.
Reducing our reliance on fossil fuels will not only lead us to energy independence, it will help us begin to reverse the problems associated with climate change.
In 2005, the Senate passed a resolution I wrote that puts the Senate on record stating that climate change is a serious problem that must be addressed. The resolution also stated that Congress should implement a mandatory program to reduce those gases.
Humans burning fossil fuels create
greenhouse gases, and unless we enact a plan to cap them, we risk altering the climate of the earth. Rising temperatures are posing a substantial risk of rising sea-levels, altered patterns of atmospheric and oceanic circulation, and increased frequency and severity of floods and droughts.
We can’t ignore this problem any longer. I am currently developing major legislation that will accomplish real reductions in greenhouse gases while allowing our economy to continue to grow. The plan would limit the amount of carbon released into the atmosphere, by capping greenhouse emissions of all major emitters, while allowing companies to buy, sell and trade carbon credits. The end result will be a system that provides significant market incentives for responsible behavior and adds significant costs for irresponsible action.
Over the next several months we will try to turn these proposals into law, moving both the quest for energy independence forward and making real progress in controlling global warming. I would appreciate your support as we try to move these proposals forward.
Dignity for Wounded Warriors ActThe
Washington Post recently uncovered serious problems associated with veterans being treated at Walter Reed Army Hospital. Congress should act quickly to address this untenable situation. I have co-sponsored the
Dignity for Wounded Warriors Act of 2007 to help ensure our veterans get the care they deserve.
