Dusty Johnson: “I am pleased that we are reintroducing renewable fuels legislation and that we are taking time today to talk about the…”

“I am pleased that we are reintroducing renewable fuels legislation and that we are taking time today to talk about the benefits and importance of this bill. There has been a great deal of discussion about the nation's energy situation. The increasing volatility in gasoline and diesel prices, the growing tension in the world from the terrorist attacks, and the possibility of war with Iraq have affected all of us. The more we depend on oil from the Middle East, the more our stability is inextricably tied to governments and factions in that region. There is a critical need for finding new sources of energy that will move the country away from dependence of a natural resource available in increasingly volatile regions of the world. Dependence on foreign oil in the unstable Middle East and South America makes us less stable. The use of domestic, clean, renewable energy sources can increase our energy security and increase the nation's security. It must be a critical part of our nation's energy strategy.”