Political Quotes

“I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Chairman, while I support the underlying bill, I rise in opposition to language in the National Defense Authorization Act that exempts the Department of Defense from section 526 of the Energy Independence and Security Act, a critical energy security provision which also supports the development of domestic alternative fuels. This exemption, Mr. Chairman, will derail the DOD's efforts to strengthen national security through reducing dangerous greenhouse gases. The current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, recently warned that climate change will have a significant effect on increasing competition for water and food, potentially causing humanitarian crises that could lead to failed states. Further, this concern is not new to DOD. In 2008, the Defense Science Board recommended to avoid investing in processes that exceed the carbon footprint of petroleum. This provision proposes to do exactly that. I would hope that we would remove this language and allow the department to experiment and use alternatives that would not exceed the current limit on the current carbon footprint on greenhouse gases. Mr. McKEON. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to my friend and colleague, a distinguished member of the Armed Services Committee, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Runyan).”