Ed Markey: “So here we have, again, misunderstanding on the part of the Republicans on our key national security issue, and that is…”

“So here we have, again, misunderstanding on the part of the Republicans on our key national security issue, and that is changing our relationship with the energy sources which we consume, because it comes disproportionately out of the Straits of Hormuz, out of the Middle East into our country. And so this issue goes right to the core, this lightbulb efficiency. It's a small symbol of all the other things that they oppose in terms of increasing the efficiency of our society, and it's stuck right in the middle of this so-called omnibus bill, and they wouldn't be happy unless they got it. Mind you, this attempt that was defeated earlier this year on the House floor, when Members could vote for it, must be snuck into the omnibus end-of-the year bill. So whether it be the XL pipeline for the oil industry, whether it be the lightbulb bill for the coal industry, whether it be the billionaire tax break staying on the books, rather than helping to make sure ordinary people get tax breaks; billionaires, oil or coal industry, that is what the agenda is all about. I urge a ``no'' vote. {time} 1050”