On the recordNovember 10, 2011
I thank my good friend, the Senator from Indiana, Mr. Coats, for his diligence in working on this issue. In the greatest Nation on Earth, not to have an energy policy is wrong. It is also wrong to be so insecure--or less secure, if you will--by depending on foreign oil as we have. We know the results we are faced with now. We are saying: Let us comply and make sure we are working in harmony with the environment and the economy. We can make that happen within a reasonable amount of time. That is all we have asked for. We are not asking to make the rules less stringent or to forget about them and throw caution to the wind. We know jobs and the economy are at stake. We know that, basically, the security of the Nation is at stake. But until we find a fuel of the future, we need to use what we have right here in America. Coal has supplied energy for a hundred years and will do so until we find a fuel that will replace it that is dependable, reliable, and affordable. So what we are asking for is something that is reasonable, and we are not blaming anything. AMENDMENT NO. 927, AS MODIFIED
