On the recordJune 5, 2012
I want to make sure that we clear up any misconceptions about this bill. This bill does not tell the military that they cannot pursue alternative sources of fuel. What it does is it removes all restrictions that have been placed on the military and on the Federal Government to procure any type of fuel, whether it's based on coal technology, whether it's based on the oil sands from a friendly country next door in Canada. It contains no restrictions. It takes away the restrictions that have manipulated the market and have forced up the cost of energy for the Defense Department. For instance, the Navy was buying vegetable oil to burn in its ships and aircraft in 2010 at a cost of $424 per gallon. Last year, this cost was reduced to $27 a gallon, yet it's still six times higher than what the cost of normal Navy fuel would be. What this hurts is our personnel readiness; it hurts the ability to buy more tanks, to buy more airplanes, to buy more protective gear for our men and women in the military. {time} 2300 It also hurts our taxpayers. As I said earlier, it keeps the military from being able to even buy fuel from Canadian oil sands next door, which, hopefully, some day, will be transported through the Keystone XL pipeline down to United States refineries. I want to also talk about what the Defense Department has said. The Acting CHAIR. The time of the gentleman from Texas has expired.
