[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 15]
[Senate]
[Pages 20882-20883]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                         NATIONAL ENERGY POLICY

  Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, I come to the floor this morning to ask 
unanimous consent to have printed in the Record letters from J. Eldon 
Yates, chairman and founder of the Vietnam Veterans Institute; the 
American Legion national commander, Richard Santos; the Veterans of 
Foreign Wars executive director, Robert Wallace; and Joseph Lipowski, 
the national commander of AMVETS.
  They joined me, several of my colleagues, and the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs, Anthony Principi, just a few moments ago outside our 
Capitol to call on this Senate and our leader, Tom Daschle, to bring a 
national energy policy bill before this Senate before we adjourn this 
year.
  Clearly, the President has been outspoken in the last month--and I 
agree with what he is doing--about strengthening our resolve and 
protecting our freedoms as the country cries out for a national energy 
policy that is a policy of national security.
  Today the administration announced that we are going to start buying 
oil to put into our national Strategic Petroleum Reserve to beef up the 
total volume in that reserve in case of a national crisis. But even 
when that is done, if the oil of the Middle East were cut off, that 
reserve would last only for a few weeks before we would be in a 
significant energy crisis.
  Our President as well as the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary 
of Energy, the Vice President, labor unions, chambers of commerce, 
National Association of Manufacturers, and small business groups speaks 
out. America is being told today that national energy is a national 
security issue.
  Strangely enough, the chairman of the Energy Committee even spoke 
this last weekend saying he wanted a national energy policy addressed 
before the end of the year. Yet nothing is done. The Energy Committee 
has been shut down by orders of the majority leader. Republicans are 
producing an energy bill. We have been to the floor time and time again 
asking for a time certain on which to debate this critical issue. The 
House acted in August. Our world would come tumbling down around us at 
this moment, economically speaking, if the oil of the Middle East were 
shut off from this country. Our economy would stifle. It is an issue of 
national security.
  I ask unanimous consent that these letters be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the letters were ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                                                       AMVETS,

                                     Lanham, MD, October 26, 2001.
     Hon. Tom Daschle,
     Majority Leader, U.S. Senate,
     The Capitol, Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Daschle: On behalf of AMVETS, I am writing to 
     encourage you to

[[Page 20883]]

     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.
                                  ____

                                         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.
                                  ____



                                          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 continued unabated. 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.
       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.
                                  ____


   Statement Of Our Nation's Veterans Groups, ``Our Domestic Energy 
         Security is Our National Security'', October 30, 2001

       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.

  Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, America's veterans, those who have stood in 
harm's way year after year and decade after decade in defense and 
support of our freedom, now speak out and say: Senator Daschle, this is 
an issue of national security. Where are you? Why aren't you allowing 
the Senate to debate this issue now and have on the President's desk a 
national energy policy before we recess this first session of the 107th 
Congress?
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Wyoming is recognized.

                          ____________________