[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 155 (Friday, November 9, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11637-S11641]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      ENERGY NEEDS AND COMMITMENTS

  Mr. STEVENS. Madam President, I have applauded the actions of my 
colleague, Senator Murkowski, as our senior Republican on the Energy 
Committee. Because of my involvement in other matters, particularly 
appropriations, it has not been possible for me to be here to join him 
as much as I would like to do so.
  I consider the opening of the coastal plain of the Arctic National 
Wildlife Refuge area for environmentally sound oil and gas development 
to be the issue of highest national security we will vote on this year. 
The President of the United States shares that view. I believe many in 
this body do.
  Last week President Bush said: It is in ``our national interest to 
get [an energy bill] to [his] desk.'' I am paraphrasing that. I believe 
the vast majority of Americans share the President's view. Just last 
night while speaking in Atlanta, President Bush called upon Congress to 
send an energy bill to his desk again ``to reduce our dependence on 
foreign oil.''
  When the President said that, there was such a unanimous outpouring 
of support from the people in the audience. It was probably the loudest 
reaction to his whole speech.
  I believe that is correct. It is a national concept and there is 
national support for that goal. Today we still do not have a commitment 
to bring up and complete action on this energy bill. This morning I 
rise to again highlight some of the implications of failure to act now.
  The stability of some of the nations principally responsible for 
supplying oil to the United States can no longer be taken for granted. 
In 1979, when the instability of the Middle East was of paramount 
concern, we took action to protect Israel. As our major ally in the 
Middle East, we should proceed with energy legislation not only to 
protect our own interests but to ensure that we

[[Page S11638]]

can continue to support Israel as we have agreed to do.
  In 1979, our Government entered into a bilateral agreement with 
Israel to ensure that Israel would have access to the oil it needs to 
meet its daily requirements. Everyone in the Senate should be familiar 
with that agreement. We understood then that some Middle Eastern 
countries had the power to hold Israel hostage by denying access to 
oil.
  Let me read from a relevant portion of the agreement we signed with 
Israel to protect its supply of oil:

       If the oil Israel needs to meet all its normal requirements 
     for domestic consumption is unavailable for purchase . . . 
     the United States Government will promptly make oil available 
     for purchase by Israel to meet all of the aforementioned 
     normal requirements of Israel.

  Our Government renewed that agreement in 1994 to ensure that Israel 
is protected through 2004. When we finally take up the comprehensive 
energy bill, we should include an amendment to extend that agreement 
with our Middle Eastern ally, Israel.
  The point is, Israel produces less than 500 barrels of oil per day. 
It consumes nearly 300,000 barrels of oil a day. Regardless of what 
happens in the Middle East, Israel needs guaranteed access to oil just 
to maintain its economy. And regardless of what happens in the Middle 
East, we have to be able to produce and provide to Israel at those 
300,000 barrels of oil per day in accordance with that agreement.
  My understanding is that Alaska's oil is the oil that would fulfill 
that agreement because it is the same quality of oil that Israel's 
refineries run and could be run in those refineries without change.
  Given our current dependence on foreign oil, and 57 percent of our 
oil is imported, Middle Eastern supplies of oil are unstable as far as 
we are concerned. We have to have a way to fulfill the commitment we 
have made to Israel, our primary ally in that part of the world.
  Our own vulnerability to protect unstable oil supplies is a national 
security issue for us. Think what it is for Israel.
  I am deeply disturbed about our continued reliance upon Saddam 
Hussein's oil. We are using more than 700,000 barrels of oil per day in 
this country imported from Iraq. From press reports, we know that one 
of Osama bin Laden's goals is to overthrow the House of Saud and to 
gain access to the vast oil reserves in Saudi Arabia.
  How secure would those supplies be if that unfortunate event should 
take place? Today Saudi Arabia is the largest single supplier of oil to 
the United States. We import over 1.8 million barrels a day from Saudi 
Arabia.
  At the height of the Persian Gulf War, 2.1 million barrels a day were 
sent through the Alaska oil pipeline. In the time of need, then we had 
oil to produce. Today, we send just over 1 million barrels a day 
through that pipeline because we don't have the production necessary to 
fill the pipeline. Today, our pipeline is half full as the production 
at Prudhoe Bay declines. As it declines, we send more American money to 
Saddam Hussein to buy his oil.

  We must consider the implications of our Government having just 
recalled our Ambassador to Venezuela as we consider the stability of 
our oil supplies. For those who missed it, let me quote from a November 
6 story in the Wall Street Journal discussing Venezuela:

       Relations have deteriorated steadily since the September 11 
     terrorist attacks on the United States. President Chavez and 
     his ministers have made what U.S. officials have described as 
     ``contradictory'' and ambiguous statements. In the most 
     recent incident, Mr. Chavez last week criticized U.S. bombing 
     raids in Afghanistan during a televised speech. . . . 
     Venezuela is especially important because it is one of the 
     top three suppliers of oil to the United States market. . .

  Madam President, this is the same President Chavez who was the first 
head of state to break the multilateral sanctions on Iraq by visiting 
Saddam Hussein after the gulf war. No wonder President Bush has 
recalled our Ambassador for consultations. Keep in mind that nearly 1.6 
million barrels of oil per day come to the United States from 
Venezuela, and they are subject to the control of President Chavez.
  When we talk of potentially unstable sources of crude oil, we cannot 
ignore Iraq. My colleague, Senator Murkowski, has continued to remind 
the Senate that the United States now imports 700,000 barrels of crude 
oil per day from Saddam Hussein. As I said last week, by the end of the 
year, we will have imported 230 million barrels of oil from Iraq. Over 
40 million barrels of that oil went to California to replace oil that 
California used to get from Alaska. At $20 per barrel, Americans will 
send over $5 billion to Saddam Hussein's terrorism machine by this 
Christmas--$5 billion, and hundreds of thousands of jobs that we don't 
have now because we don't have permission to increase production to 
continue filling the Alaska pipeline daily.
  This year, we have thousands of American troops stationed in the 
Middle East and around Afghanistan. They risk their lives to protect 
our interests and our security. I believe we must do something about 
our growing dependence on these potentially unreliable supplies of oil. 
We must begin to explore for oil in our own country, and we know where 
the largest potential supply of oil is. It is in the Coastal Plain of 
Alaska. We just need the opportunity to go get it.
  The Energy Information Agency released a new report last week 
detailing all of the proven reserves in the United States. That report 
says in the entire State of Texas there are now 5.27 billion barrels of 
proven reserves. Texans don't like me to remind them, but that State is 
less than half the size of Alaska.
  The House-passed energy bill, H.R. 4, contains authorization for oil 
production in the Coastal Plain of ANWR. That Coastal Plain, as 
designated by the Jackson amendment in the 1980 act, is 1.5 million 
acres, and it is estimated to contain a minimum of 5.7 billion barrels 
of oil, with a very good possibility, I am told, of recovering up to 16 
billion barrels of oil--enough to fill the Alaska pipeline for another 
three decades and beyond.
  Madam President, people forget when I stood here on the floor and 
urged approval of the Alaska oil pipeline, the estimate for production 
from Prudhoe Bay was 1 billion barrels. This year, we have produced the 
thirteen-billionth barrel of oil from Prudhoe Bay. These estimates are 
always on the very conservative side.

  The House energy bill limits oil production to just 2,000 acres of 
the 1.5 million-acre area. Remember, the million and a half acres was 
set aside for oil and gas exploration. Now, if the oil in ANWR could 
replace our imports from Iraq, Saudi Arabia, or Venezuela--and that is 
possible--it could produce enough oil to replace at least one of our 
three largest suppliers. Can anyone really doubt that this is an issue 
involving our national security?
  Madam President, as we approach Veterans Day, I am proud to stand 
here as a World War II veteran and applaud the veterans groups of our 
country. They understand the vulnerabilities of our country. They 
understand the importance of reducing our reliance on the Middle East 
and increasing our domestic production.
  I want to quote from two recent letters. This is an October 26 letter 
from the National Commander of AMVETS:

       Our current reliance on foreign oil leaves the United 
     States vulnerable to the whim of individual oil-exporting 
     countries, many existing in the unpredictable and highly 
     dangerous Persian Gulf. . . .Passage of H.R. 4 would greatly 
     assist in our ability to secure a more dependable and 
     diversified domestic supply of energy.

  And I would note that since the Persian Gulf war our security has 
become more threatened with our dependence on foreign sources of oil 
growing from 35 percent of domestic supply to nearly 60 percent. AMVETS 
firmly believes we cannot wait for the next crisis before we act.
  I ask unanimous consent that letter be printed in the Record 
following my statement.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  (See Exhibit 1.)
  Mr. STEVENS. In an October 25 letter, the National Commander of the 
American Legion said:

       War and international terrorism have again brought into 
     sharp focus the heavy reliance of the U.S. on imported oil. 
     During times of crisis, such reliance threatens our national 
     security and economic well-being. It is important that we 
     develop domestic sources of oil, contained within our public 
     lands--such as the supplies within the Arctic National 
     Wildlife Refuge.


[[Page S11639]]


  I ask unanimous consent that letter and additional letters be printed 
in the Record after these remarks.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  (See Exhibit 2.)
  Mr. STEVENS. Madam President, action is required now to protect our 
national security. The advice of these veterans groups representing the 
voices of all men and women who have fought for our freedom should be 
followed. Their advice to increase our economic security by opening the 
Coastal Plain of ANWR needs to be adhered to.
  The advice of organized labor, which wants to see us create hundreds 
of thousands of jobs by opening this Coastal Plain of ANWR, is also 
compelling.
  Israel needs even greater assurance that we can fulfil our 
obligations to meet her energy needs. In short, responding to these 
requests and to the President of the United States to promote our 
national security by passing the comprehensive energy bill, H.R. 4, 
containing authorization to proceed to use 2,000 of the 1.5 million 
acres of ANWR, should be our No. 1 goal before we leave for the 
holiday.
  Passing a comprehensive energy bill that contains environmentally 
sound provisions by producing the largest single potential oilfield on 
the North American Continent is a goal of most Americans. If we act 
now, our men and women serving overseas will know that we stand behind 
them.
  Passing this bill before we go home for the holiday will tell 
families from New England to Minnesota that the fuel oil they burn in 
the future, after our Arctic Plain begins to produce, is American oil, 
not oil from Saddam Hussein, from Iraq, or from any of these unstable 
sources.
  In short, I believe we must act before we go home for this holiday so 
we will know we have acted to protect the security of our Nation, our 
total national security. A filibuster against a national security issue 
involving energy has never taken place in this Chamber. It did not take 
place when the oil pipeline was built, and there was severe, even 
worse, opposition at that time than there is now. That pipeline passed 
by one vote, the vote of the Vice President of the United States.
  The opponents at that time knew they could filibuster, but they did 
not because it was a matter of national security. I call upon the 
Senate to recognize the tradition of this body and not filibuster a 
national security issue as we raise H.R. 4 next week.
  I ask unanimous consent that an article by the eminent Charles 
Krauthammer from today's Washington Post be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                [From the Washington Post, Nov. 9, 2001]

                         War and the Polar Bear

                        (By Charles Krauthammer)

       So you thought that Sept. 11 changed everything, that the 
     era of game-show frivolity, ``Survivor'' silliness and 
     general self-indulgence had given way to an era of 
     seriousness. Well, not quite. Here we are, for the second 
     time in a decade, risking American lives in a war against an 
     enemy fueled and fed by oil money. Here we are again decrying 
     our dependence on oil from a particularly unstable, 
     unfriendly part of the world. Here we are in desperate need 
     of both energy conservation and new energy production. And 
     here we see (in the Oct. 30 Post) that we may be prevented 
     from drilling in the single most promising area on this 
     continent because of a . . . polar bear treaty: ``New Species 
     Enters Debate on Arctic Oil; Polar Bear Agreement Cited by 
     Drilling Foes.''
       Now, I like polar bears as much as the next guy. I like 
     pandas and caribou and all the furry cuddlies on God's good 
     earth. But I also like people, particularly Americans, and 
     particularly American soldiers. And I do not like seeing them 
     shot and killed in wars that would be both more avoidable and 
     more winnable were we not so disastrously dependent on energy 
     supplies from a nasty part of the world with nasty people who 
     use our oil money for nasty purposes.
       At a time when Washington should be working on a crash 
     program of conservation and new drilling, a six-year-old 
     report from the Fish and Wildlife Service is leaked in the 
     hope that a 28-year-old polar bear treaty might derail 
     drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The Outrage! 
     ``This is a classic Bush administration strategy of running 
     roughshod over international agreements,'' charged Kieran 
     Suckling, executive director of the Center for Biological 
     Diversity and leaker of the report. The Interior Department 
     stoutly maintains that the polar bear agreement does not 
     prohibit oil exploration. Alaska's Sen. Frank Murkowski 
     points out that the 25,000 or so Arctic polar bears that he 
     represents seem to be quite happily lolling around the 
     existing oil drilling in Alaska.
       I too have little doubt that the polar bears will do fine, 
     just as the caribou have thrived around the Prudhoe Bay 
     field. But the whole debate is surreal. We are at war, are we 
     not? Americans are fighting. In Washington and New York, 
     nearly 5,000 have already been killed. Fifteen of the 19 
     murderers were Saudi. Their leader is Saudi. Most of their 
     money is Saudi. And that same Saudi money funds the 
     madrassas, the fundamentalist religious schools where poor 
     Pakistani, Afghan and Arab children are inducted into the 
     world of radical Islam and war against the American infidel. 
     And yet we bow and scrape to the Saudis. We beg and borrow. 
     We tolerate their deflecting onto America the popular hatred 
     that would otherwise be directed at their own corruption. 
     Why? Because we need their oil.
       The war on terrorism will be fought in many places. Alaska 
     is one. We have known since 1973 that we need to reduce our 
     dependence on Persian Gulf oil. But we have never been 
     serious. It was assumed that Sept. 11 would make us serious. 
     Instead, we are engaged in exegeses on polar bear mating 
     habits and a ridiculous debate that pits conservation vs. 
     drilling. Why one and not the other is beyond me. Of course 
     we need conservation. I have been an advocate of a dollar-a-
     gallon gasoline tax for 20 years. Whatever it takes: auto 
     efficiency standards, higher taxes, incentives for new fuels.
       But why stop there? We need more oil still. Every 
     additional barrel that substitutes domestic oil for foreign 
     oil is a victory. Drilling in the Arctic will involve less 
     than 1 percent of the Arctic Refuge. It might produce an 
     additional million barrels a day. The sea of natural gas 
     beneath could be the largest in North America. And yet the 
     Luddites stand firm, as if Sept. 11 never happened. Sen. John 
     Kerry vows a filibuster if anyone dares legislate Arctic 
     drilling.
       Imagine where we would be if those railing against Arctic 
     drilling today had prevailed 30 years ago and stopped Prudhoe 
     Bay. The million barrels a day we now get from Alaska would 
     be coming from Saudi Arabia. We would be even more in their 
     debt and under their thumb. A concerned citizenry is yearning 
     to do something significant for the war effort on the home 
     front. But this is not World War II. We do not need rubber. 
     We do not need war bonds. We do not need Rosie riveting. We 
     desperately do need energy independence. And that is a home-
     front battle: conservation--and a willingness to disturb a 
     few acres of snow in a vast wilderness as remote as 
     Afghanistan.
       There's a war on, senators. Lets get serious.

                               Exhibit 1


                                                       AMVETS,

                                     Lanham, MD, October 26, 2001.
     Hon. Tom Daschle,
     Majority Leader, The U.S. Senate, The Capitol, Washington, 
         DC.
       Dear Senator Daschle: On behalf of AMVETS, I am writing to 
     encourage you to bring H.R. 4, the Securing America's Future 
     Energy Act of 2001, before the full Senate for consideration 
     at the earliest possible moment prior to the close of the 1st 
     Session of the 107th Congress.
       As you know, our current reliance on foreign oil leaves the 
     United States vulnerable to the whim of individual oil-
     exporting countries, many existing in the unpredictable and 
     highly dangerous Persian Gulf. And it cannot be overstated 
     that energy supplies touch nearly every aspect of our lives 
     from our economy to our national security.
       Passage of H.R. 4 would greatly assist in our ability to 
     secure a more dependable and diversified domestic supply of 
     energy. And, I would note that since the Persian Gulf War our 
     security has become more threatened with our dependence on 
     foreign sources of oil growing from 35 percent of domestic 
     supply to nearly 60 percent.
       AMVETS firmly believes that we cannot wait for the next 
     crisis before we act. H.R. 4, as approved by the House, is a 
     critical part of an overall policy America requires to 
     promote dependable, affordable, and environmentally sound 
     production and distribution of energy for the future. We urge 
     your expedited approval of this legislation.
           Dedicated to service,
                                               Joseph W. Lipowski,
     National Commander.
                                  ____


                               Exhibit 2

                                              The American Legion,
                                 Washington, DC, October 25, 2001.
     Hon. Tom Daschle,
     Majority Leader, U.S. Senate, The Capitol, Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Daschle: We write today out of a sense of 
     urgency concerning our national security, as it relates to 
     our need for energy independence. The development of 
     America's domestic energy resources is vital to our national 
     security. We respectfully urge you to adopt the provisions 
     contained in H.R. 4, the ``Securing America's Future Energy 
     Act of 2001.''
       War and international terrorism have again brought into 
     sharp focus the heavy reliance of the United States on 
     imported oil. During times of crises, such reliance threatens 
     our national security and economic well being. The import of 
     more than 50 percent of our petroleum from the Persian Gulf 
     further compounds our foreign trade balance at a time when 
     our energy demands continue unabated. It is important that we 
     develop domestic sources of oil, contained within our

[[Page S11640]]

     public lands--such as the supplies within the Arctic National 
     Wildlife Refuge.
       Working for a comprehensive energy policy and achieving 
     responsible energy independence are critical national 
     security and economic goals. H.R. 4, as passed by the House 
     of Representatives, is a major step forward to achieving 
     these imperative goals. We strongly urge your support.
           Sincerely,
                                                Richard J. Santos,
     National Commander.
                                  ____

                                          Veterans of Foreign Wars


                                         of the United States,

                                 Washington, DC, October 29, 2001.
     Hon. Tom Daschle,
     Majority Leader U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Daschle: The 2.7 million members of the 
     Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States and its Ladies 
     Auxiliary supports H.R. 4, the ``Securing America's Future 
     Energy Act of 2001'' or SAFE Act of 2001. We applaud the 
     House of Representatives for its bipartisan work in 
     addressing our energy vulnerability by passing H.R. 4. We 
     believe the Senate should consider and vote on H.R. 4 so that 
     our nation has an energy plan for the future and can move 
     forward quickly with a comprehensive plan to develop our 
     domestic energy resources.
       Keeping in mind the horrific events of September 11 and 
     mindful of the threats we are facing, we strongly believe 
     that the development of America's domestic energy resources 
     is a vital national security priority. We need to take steps 
     to reverse our growing dependence on Middle East oil as 
     quickly as possible. By passing H.R. 4, the Senate will be 
     supporting our troops serving in combat on Operation Enduring 
     Freedom, the American people, and our national security with 
     a comprehensive energy legislation that is desperately needed 
     to diversify the energy supply for our country and chart a 
     course for the future.
       The VFW strongly urges the Senate to consider and vote on 
     H.R. 4 as passed in the House in this session of Congress.
           Sincerely,
                                                Robert E. Wallace,
     Executive Director.
                                  ____



                                   Vietnam Veterans Institute,

                                                 October 30, 2001.

    Major Veterans Groups Ask Senate To Quickly Pass Energy Bill To 
                Strengthen America for War on Terrorism

       Washington.--Major veterans groups--with a combined 
     membership of nearly 5 million--today called on the Senate to 
     quickly pass an energy bill that includes a provision 
     allowing more oil drilling in Alaska to strengthen America's 
     national security and economy for the war on terrorism.
       The American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, AMVETS, 
     the Vietnam Veterans Institute and the Catholic War Veterans 
     urged senators to accelerate development of domestic energy 
     resources, including the supplies within the Arctic National 
     Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in Alaska, as an urgent matter of 
     national security.
       In letters to Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD), 
     veterans groups asked Daschle to allow the energy bill passed 
     by the House--H.R. 4--to come to a straight majority vote in 
     the Senate promptly, without a Democratic filibuster that 
     would take 60 votes to break. Daschle opposes the bill's 
     provision allowing oil drilling in part of ANWR.
       Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony J. Principi and 
     Senators Frank Murkowski (R-AK), Larry Craig (R-ID), Rick 
     Santorum (R-PA) and George Voinovich (R-OH)--who all support 
     the energy legislation--joined the veterans groups at a news 
     conference today.
       American Legion National Commander Richard J. Santos wrote 
     in his letter to Daschle: ``War and international terrorism 
     have again brought into sharp focus the heavy reliance of the 
     United States on imported oil. During times of crises, such 
     reliance threatens our national security and economic well 
     being . . . . It is important that we develop domestic 
     sources of oil, contained within our public lands--such as 
     the supplies within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.''
       Robert E. Wallace, executive director of the Veterans of 
     Foreign Wars, wrote Daschle: ``By passing H.R. 4, the Senate 
     will be supporting our troops serving in combat on Operation 
     Enduring Freedom, the American people and our national 
     security with a comprehensive energy legislation that is 
     desperately needed to diversify the energy supply for our 
     country and chart a course for the future.''
       J. Eldon Yates, chairman and founder of the Vietnam 
     Veterans Institute wrote Daschle: ``The development of 
     America's domestic energy resources is vital to our national 
     security. We respectfully urge you to immediately pass H.R. 
     4, the comprehensive energy legislation . . . . Following the 
     horrific events of September 11, 2001, failure to pass this 
     bill would pose a threat to our people, our economy, and our 
     national security, that we all wore the uniform to 
     maintain.''
       Also attending the news conference was Roger Thomas, 81, of 
     Frederick, MD, who was a Navy radioman at Kaneohe Bay near 
     Pearl Harbor when Japanese warplanes dropped bombs around him 
     on December 7, 1941. Thomas was uninjured and went on to fly 
     combat missions in World War II. ``The terrorist attacks of 
     September 11 were worse than the attack on Pearl Harbor, 
     because unarmed civilians were murdered and many more died,'' 
     Thomas said. ``In World War II, America could produce all the 
     oil we needed to fight back and defeat our enemies in battle, 
     but today we're in a dangerous situation because we rely on 
     other countries to provide our oil.''
       Today's military uses far more fuel than in past wars. For 
     example, the 582,000 U.S. military personnel in the Persian 
     Gulf War in 1991 consumed more oil on a daily basis than the 
     2 million men of the Allied armies that liberated Europe in 
     World War II.
       The United States gets about 55 percent of its oil from 
     foreign nations--up steadily over the years from almost 
     nothing during WWII, to 36 percent in 1973 and 46 percent as 
     recently as 1991. America sends about $100 billion a year to 
     foreign nations to pay for imported oil.
       Experts believe ANWR may contain the largest supply of oil 
     ever found in American history--an estimated 16 billion 
     barrels of recoverable oil, which could be turned into 742 
     billion gallons of gasoline. That's the equivalent of total 
     U.S. gasoline consumption for nearly six years.
       According to an analysis by Wharton Econometrics 
     Forecasting Associates, development of oil reserves in the 
     coastal plain of ANWR could create as many as 736,000 jobs in 
     the United States--most of them outside Alaska--and pump 
     billions of dollars into the U.S. economy.
       ANWR covers 19.6 million acres, but the energy legislation 
     before the Senate would open up only 1.5 million acres to 
     exploration. Just a tiny fraction of that--about 2,000 acres 
     of surface land--would experience oil drilling activity if 
     oil were found.
                                  ____


               Statement of Our Nation's Veterans Groups


       ``Our Domestic Energy Security is Our National Security''

       We, the undersigned, representing our nation's veterans, 
     strongly believe that the development of America's domestic 
     energy resources is a vital national security priority. The 
     horrific events of September 11, 2001, constitute a threat to 
     our people, our economy, and our nation's security. With U.S. 
     troops actively engaged in combat overseas, we firmly believe 
     that America can and will win this prolonged war against 
     terrorism, using all its resources to defend our nation and 
     the cause of freedom around the world.
       Because of these beliefs, we applaud the House of 
     Representatives for its bipartisan work in addressing our 
     energy vulnerability by passing H.R. 4, the ``Securing 
     America's Future Energy Act of 2001'' or the `Safe Act of 
     2001.'' It is imperative that the Senate pass the House 
     version of H.R. 4 so that our nation can move forward in 
     establishing our energy security, as well as our defense of 
     freedom at home and abroad. It is essential for us to develop 
     all domestic energy resources including the supplies within 
     the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
       By passing H.R. 4, the comprehensive energy legislation, 
     the Senate will be supporting our troops in the field, all 
     Americans, their families, and our nation. We, as Veterans, 
     stand united and respectfully request that the Senate vote on 
     and pass H.R. 4.
                                                   J. Eldon Yates,
                 Chairman and Founder, Vietnam Veterans Institute.
                                                  Joseph Satriano,
      National First Vice Commander, Catholic War Veterans of the 
     United States of America.
                                  ____



                                   Vietnam Veterans Institute,

                                                 October 30, 2001.
     Hon. Tom Daschle,
     Majority Leader, U.S. Senate, the Capitol, Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Daschle: We write today out of a sense of 
     urgency concerning our national security as it relates to our 
     energy supply. The development of America's domestic energy 
     resources is vital to our national security. We respectfully 
     urge you to immediately pass H.R. 4, the comprehensive energy 
     legislation.
       We are pleased the House of Representatives, acting with 
     bipartisan support, addressed our energy vulnerability by 
     passing H.R. 4, the `Securing America's Future Energy Act of 
     2001' or the `SAFE Act of 2001.' It is imperative the Senate 
     do the same. Following the horrific events of September 11, 
     2001, failure to pass this bill would pose a threat to our 
     people, our economy, and our national security, that we all 
     wore the uniform to maintain.
       All Americans, as well as our military troops, need this 
     legislation enacted into law. If we intend to rebuild our 
     economy and continue the campaign against international 
     terrorism and those who attack us, we must develop domestic 
     sources of oil contained within our public lands--such as the 
     supplies within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. We must 
     be able to rely to the fullest extent possible on our own 
     resources to provide for the maintenance of our economy at 
     home and our prolonged war effort abroad.
       By passing H.R. 4, the comprehensive energy legislation 
     now, the Senate will be supporting our troops in the field 
     and all working Americans, including those displaced by this 
     heartless act of aggression. We, as Veterans, stand united 
     and cannot overstate the importance of this legislation, and 
     respectfully request you lead the Senate by voting on and 
     passing H.R. 4 so our nation can move forward in defense of 
     freedom around the world.
       We know that when the chips are down, America can and will 
     stand and fight, using all its resources and all its might to 
     defend our nation and the cause of freedom around

[[Page S11641]]

     the world. Join us in this cause. Pass the comprehensive 
     energy bill and help us rebuild America!
           With the support of our members,

                                               J. Eldon Yates,

                                             Chairman and Founder,
                                       Vietnam Veterans Institute.

  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Illinois.

                          ____________________