John Hansen: “Mr. Chairman, America needs more energy. During months of national discussion over energy, I have not heard anyone…”

“Mr. Chairman, America needs more energy. During months of national discussion over energy, I have not heard anyone challenge the fact that our Nation needs more energy. Our Nation's demand for natural gas alone has risen by 45 percent over the past 15 years, 45 percent. Our National need for ore oil is on the rise. Our need for electricity has jumped sharply since the advent of the high-tech age and continues to rise. Most of the electricity in this country still comes from coal. That means our Nation's need for coal is rising. These are indisputable facts. What is in dispute is what we do about it. I say let us use a little common sense. We need a little old-fashioned American integrity. We look for ways to curb our energy appetite. We look for ways to increase our production. We look for ways to be more efficient in the way we use energy, and we invent new technology and new kinds of energy. This bill, the Securing America's Future Energy Act of 2001, does every one of those things. It follows the dictates of reason and common sense. With this bill, we get by with less, we produce more, and we figure out ways to do things better. If we take out any part of this equation, we invite failure. If we take out increased production, we fail faster and faster. We cannot conserve our way out of the energy challenge that faces us today. We cannot research or design our way out of it. We cannot get through this with windmills and solar panels.…”