Earl Blumenauer: “I think it is interesting to consider what would have happened if such a challenge had been made last year, energy…”

“I think it is interesting to consider what would have happened if such a challenge had been made last year, energy independence, for instance, instead of spending up to $230 billion on national missile defense. We have already put an $8 billion downpayment this year. We are starting work in Alaska which, ironically, is something that is not going to make this country safe from terrorist attacks. If people in North Korea actually have a nuclear device, we are as vulnerable to somebody bringing a motor boat into the Puget Sound, into San Francisco Bay, into New York Harbor. Instead of moving forward with a challenge like the gentleman from Washington (Mr. McDermott) talked about, instead this last year has been characterized by a systematic assault on the environment.”