Tom Carper: “Mr. President, as we gather for this debate, about 60 percent of the oil we use in this country comes from other places.…”

“Mr. President, as we gather for this debate, about 60 percent of the oil we use in this country comes from other places. We are importing all that oil. It adds to a huge trade deficit, about $500 billion and growing. About a third of that trade deficit is related to the importation of oil. We have the opportunity with the energy provisions that are part of this bill to do some good things with respect to energy independence in this country. We have the opportunity to urge people to buy more energy-efficient cars, trucks, and vans. We have the opportunity to nurture an automotive industry which will provide fuel-cell-powered vehicles that will provide for vehicles that are powered by a combination of electric and internal combustion--maybe a combination of diesel and electric. We have the opportunity to provide incentives for people to use solar energy more frequently and more effectively, to use geothermal energy more effectively, more broadly. We have the opportunity to encourage people to use wind power as a source of electricity, and other forms of energy, through this bill.”