Gabby Giffords: “I am thrilled today to speak on this final piece of legislation of our first 100 hours and perhaps the most important…”

“I am thrilled today to speak on this final piece of legislation of our first 100 hours and perhaps the most important piece of legislation, the CLEAN Energy Act. In the early 1960s, in response to the Russians when they launched Sputnik, President Kennedy decided to send a man to the Moon. And remember his words. He said: ``We choose to go to the Moon. We choose to go to the Moon in this decade, not because it's easy, but because it's hard.'' And we did it and we led in science and math and engineering, and it was greatness for our Nation. These policies led to a major technological breakthrough that benefited both our military and our economy; and now America faces a greater challenge than ever. How we respond to this challenge will have lasting effects not just for the American people but for the entire world. We put our national security at risk when we are reliant on unstable regimes, Middle Eastern oil, Latin American oil. We put our economy at risk by not adequately investing in science and math and engineering and technology, and we put our world at risk when we ignore the real threats of global warming. Ending America's addiction to foreign oil, investing in renewable energy, and achieving clean energy independence is the Apollo mission of our generation. This will not just result in better jobs and the creation of hundreds of thousands of new economic opportunities for our citizens, but a more stable and a more sustainable world.”