Political Quotes

“Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I rise today in support of H.R. 1540, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012. I would like to thank the chairman and the ranking member for their leadership on this committee and in particular their support for the issues I have been pursuing. Including in this en bloc package are two amendments of mine, which I wanted to speak on briefly. Amendment 48 requires the Secretary of Defense to submit a report to the Congress on the feasibility of recycling rare earth elements used by the Department. This amendment, along with a provision in the chairman's mark requiring a Rare Earth Inventory Plan, are important steps in reconstituting the Nation's ability to access secure, reliable, and competitive market for rare earth products used to support our national security. I have been particularly troubled by reports from the Department of Defense indicating that they are not concerned about our Nation's near total reliance on China for access to these critical materials. Last September's rare earth embargo of Japan by the Chinese should serve as an important reminder that this dependence leaves our military vulnerable to supply disruptions should a foreign nation choose to take advantage of its dominance in the market. Our nation does not need to accept this dependence.…”