Mitch Landrieu: “I rise, Mr. President, to speak about the pending business, which is the energy bill that has been laid down by Senator…”

“I rise, Mr. President, to speak about the pending business, which is the energy bill that has been laid down by Senator Bingaman and worked on very aggressively on both sides of the aisle. We are trying to fashion an energy bill that works for our Nation and accomplishes a couple of very broad goals. One of those goals that I think is most crucial and critical to meet in terms of the outcome of this debate is the goal of energy independence for the United States of America. The goal is self-reliance. It is a value, a tradition of America that has served this Nation very well, that we produce what we consume. We relied on our strengths and our resources to lift this country from a cluster of small colonies over 200 years ago, to a great nation, perhaps the greatest nation ever to be born and developed in this world, using a political system that, while not perfect, is admired by many countries and used as a model.”