Thursday, April 25, 2002

“One year after the President called for a National Energy Policy, the Senate took an important step forward today in the effort to reclaim our energy independence.

“Though this bill regrettably blocked our need to recover known oil reserves in a tiny part of Alaska, there is a strong commitment in this bill to secure the promise of renewable fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel.

“This energy package gives new hope for the future economic viability and sustainability of Missouri farms and rural communities.

“Now more than ever farmers will be drilling the ‘oil wells’ of the future in their soybean and corn fields.

“With passage of the energy package, with the renewable standard, and tax incentives, the time is now ripe for the Missouri soydiesel industry to explode. I believe the soybean industry is about to enter a new era of profitability.

“In addition, I am pleased that the Senate voted twice to support scientifically-based formulas to develop automobile fuel efficiency standards that will help boost efficiency, while also protecting the rights of American families to choose vehicles that best suit their needs.

“The Senate bill also includes tax incentives to boost the production and use of more fuel efficient vehicles and alternative fuels.

“This is an important step forward, but more work needs to be done before American can reclaim its energy independence.

“Most Americans don’t know this, but every day our nation buys $20 million worth of oil from Saddam Hussein. This is the same man who regularly shoots anti-aircraft missiles at our Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps pilots who patrol Iraqi skies to stop Saddam from attacking his own people.

“We have to buy that oil from Saddam because we do not produce enough at home. Because of that, Saddam can pay for spare black-market parts and equipment to keep his air defense radars and missiles operational.

“Experts tell us that we could safely recover about one million barrels of oil a day from only 2,000 acres out of the 19 million-acre ANWR. And that we can do it in a way that also protects the environment. That extra oil production would mean that we could stop paying American dollars into Saddam’s treasury.

“But, under severe and emotional pressure from environmental activists and despite strong support from labor union workers, the Senate voted to block that effort on April 18th.

“That was an unfortunate vote. It had more to do with politics and emotion than with sound science and national security.

“I believe that modern technology allows us to recover oil from ANWR in a way that also protects the environment. For example, from one drill site, we can now drill in many directions. And the drilling would occur only in the Winter on 2,000 acres of the 19 million-acre reserve.

“Our nation needs to cut our dependence on foreign oil. We can do so by carefully recovering oil reserves here in the United States. And we can do it by using 21st century technology that also allows us to protect the environment.”