On the recordNovember 28, 2012
Mr. President, first of all, I appreciate my colleague's graciousness in allowing me to speak first. I rise today in support of Senator Udall and his amendment, which would restore the Department of Defenses' ability to invest in advanced biofuels. I don't think we should be tying the hands of our military as they attempt to manage a significant national security threat our energy dependence. As our Nation has become more technology dependent, our energy use has increased dramatically. Businesses and families are more conscious than ever of how they use energy and its costs. Our military is no different. Advanced technology has not only reshaped our economy, it has also changed how we think about defense. No matter how you look at it, as long as we are dependent on other nations for our energy, we have a fundamental strategic vulnerability. Fortunately, for the first time since the oil crisis in 1979 our military is making real progress addressing it. I hope we will get out of their way. Over the past ten years the Department of Defense has invested significant time and resources into improving our nation's energy security. Energy security is not some sort of feel-good, pie in the sky, goal that would be nice to have. Energy security is imperative to the success of today's military, and it becomes more critical with each passing generation.…
Source
govinfo.gov




