On the recordJune 10, 2010
I rise in opposition to the resolution offered by my good friend, the Senator from Alaska. Recent events have given us pause. If there has ever been a wake-up call, then surely the images of oiled pelicans, docked charter boats, and the sickening plume of oil cascading into the blue waters of the gulf should provide it. Time and time again, we have seen opportunities to seize our energy future passed up because of our addiction to fossil fuels, our tendency to put off difficult choices or our habit of letting partisanship get in the way. This unsustainable path has led us to a complacent sense of security, and now look at where we are--caught off guard by a tragic set of events in the Gulf of Mexico. As the gulf disaster has made clear, our existing sources of energy come at a cost greater than just the price at the pump. They can be catastrophically damaging to our economy, our national security, and our environment. I don't have any illusions about our need for traditional energy sources, and on that I agree with the Senator from Alaska. The more quickly we transition to cleaner energy, the sooner we secure a strong and vibrant future for America.
