[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 153 (Wednesday, October 10, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H11400]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                COAL-TO-LIQUID AS AN ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

  (Mr. STEARNS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, according to the Energy Information Agency, 
the United States currently imports about 60 percent of its oil, and 
that number is expected to rise to 75 percent in the coming decades.
  As a country, we need to reduce our dependency on foreign fuel 
sources and start implementing alternative energy sources that can be 
found domestically here in the United States.
  Imported fuels such as crude oil and natural gas are costing the 
country billions of dollars a year, accounting for about one-third of 
the United States trade deficit. At $45 a barrel, liquid coal fuel is a 
desirable alternative to the $60 plus or more per barrel of oil we're 
paying today. Not only does this innovative fuel source cost less, but 
also coal is one of the most abundant natural resources in the United 
States. As Congress continues to explore the use of alternative energy 
sources, we need to look closely at the enormous benefits of coal-to-
liquid technology.

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