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Week of May 26th
MEMORIAL DAY: On this Memorial Day, I express my profound gratitude to the men and women who served in our Armed Forces and who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. We are the beneficiaries of their dedication to our nation, and we pledge that we will always remember and honor them.
This year, I am particularly proud that the Senate has taken a giant step forward in repaying the debt we owe to our veterans, including National Guard and Reserve, by passing the New GI Bill and the Heroes Earnings Assistance and Relief Tax Act. The New GI Bill expands critical education and tuition benefits to help veterans as they adjust to civilian life while allowing our economy to fully benefit from their talent, leadership, and experience. The Heroes Earnings Assistance and Relief Tax Act provides $2 billion in tax cuts and to active duty military and their families who have carried the heaviest load as their loved ones have been deployed overseas for extended periods.
As we commemorate the bravery and service of those who have served and who continue to serve our country, we must honor them by ensuring that their sacrifices will always be remembered.
ENVIRONMENT: We have only one planet and we must learn to treat it with respect so that our children and grandchildren will inherit a cleaner environment and more stable economy independent of foreign fuel sources. While the Senate stands in recess this week in honor of Memorial Day, we are gearing up for the floor debate on the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act, which is set to begin June 2. This landmark legislation could reduce dangerous greenhouse gas emissions across the United States by two-thirds by 2050 with a negligible impact on the U.S. economy. Through the auctioning of carbon credits, this bill is designed to pay for itself and its administration while providing nearly $1 trillion in deficit reduction.
The Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act reasserts the United States' position as a responsible, international leader on global climate change and the reduction of greenhouse gases. It sets clear but realistic standards that are fair domestically and internationally by supporting both consumers and business and balances our national security, economy and the environment. This legislation moves us closer to energy independence by investing in public transit and alternative, renewable fuels. It makes an unprecedented commitment to the health and long-term viability of the Chesapeake Bay and America's coastline.
I am especially proud of the section I authored that will direct about $171 billion, over the life of the bill, to states and localities for public transit nationwide. About two-thirds of this money will go to support existing systems like Washington Metro, MARC and MTA, while about 30 percent will help develop new systems that will take more and more cars off our roads, cut dangerous emissions, ease congestion, and reduce our dependence on foreign energy sources like OPEC.
WHAT IS ENERGY INDEPENDENCE? This term has been used quite often, but what is it, really? It means being in control of our energy supplies and free from our reliance on other countries, many of whom are not friendly to Americans or the values we cherish. So when we talk about energy "independence" we really mean that the U.S. generates at least 90 percent of our energy needs from domestic sources. Energy efficiency alone can reduce our reliance on foreign energy sources by as much as 30 percent. We can only reach our goal of "independence" by building up our alternative, renewable energy sources like low- and zero-carbon electricity, biofuels, wind and solar. If we direct the right resources, I believe we can reach this goal of energy "independence" in 10 years.
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