[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 43 (Thursday, March 13, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2165-S2166]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 486--TO CONGRATULATE THE X PRIZE FOUNDATION FOR THEIR 
EFFORTS TO INSPIRE A NEW GENERATION OF VIABLE, SUPER-EFFICIENT VEHICLES 
  THAT COULD HELP BREAK THE ADDICTION OF THE UNITED STATES TO OIL AND 
   STEM THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE THROUGH THE AUTOMOTIVE X PRIZE 
                              COMPETITION

  Mr. BINGAMAN (for himself, Mr. Lugar, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Domenici, Mr. 
Levin, Mr. Brown, Mr. Ensign, Ms. Cantwell, and Mrs. Lincoln) submitted 
the following resolution;

                              S. Res. 486

       Whereas the United States is heavily dependent on foreign 
     sources of oil that are concentrated in tumultuous countries 
     and regions;
       Whereas the national security and economic prosperity of 
     the United States demand that the United States moves toward 
     a sustainable energy future;
       Whereas the ability of foreign governments to assert great 
     control over oil production allows unfriendly regimes to use 
     energy exports as leverage against the United States and 
     allies of the United States;
       Whereas continued reliance on the use of greenhouse gas 
     intensive-fuel may have significant economic and political 
     impacts as the effects of global climate change take hold;
       Whereas the transportation sector is heavily dependent on 
     oil, which makes the people of the United States vulnerable 
     to oil price fluctuation and is a major source of greenhouse 
     gas emissions;
       Whereas many promising technologies exist that could lead 
     to a breakthrough vehicle that will meet the need for 
     sustainable transportation;
       Whereas breakthroughs are often achieved by the free market 
     fueling the entrepreneurial spirit of inventors and 
     investors;
       Whereas the Automotive X PRIZE is a private, independent, 
     technology-neutral competition being developed by the X PRIZE 
     Foundation to inspire a new generation of viable, super-
     efficient vehicles that could help break the addiction of the 
     United States to oil and stem the effects of climate change; 
     and

[[Page S2166]]

       Whereas the Automotive X PRIZE will award a multi-million 
     dollar purse to teams that can design, build, and demonstrate 
     production-capable vehicles that achieve 100 miles per gallon 
     of fuel or an equivalent: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that the 
     Senate--
       (1) commends the leadership of the X PRIZE Foundation for 
     their efforts to inspire a new generation of viable, super-
     efficient vehicles that could help break the addiction of the 
     United States to oil and stem the effects of climate change 
     through the Automotive X PRIZE competition;
       (2) congratulates the X PRIZE Foundation on the innovation 
     and vision of the Foundation to bring together some of the 
     finest minds in government, nongovernment, institutions of 
     higher education, and industry to advise and participate in 
     the Automotive X PRIZE competition; and
       (3) applauds the ongoing commitment of the X PRIZE 
     Foundation for encouraging solutions to some of greatest 
     challenges facing humanity, as exemplified in the Automotive 
     X PRIZE.

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