[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Page 14897]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                                 ENERGY

  Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, the prior speaker from South Carolina 
talked about energy. We have to engage in energy strategies that pull 
us off of our addiction to Middle Eastern oil. We have a lot of plants 
coming on in ethanol production from grain. We need to move that as 
well--and plant materials and cellulosic alcohol from grain. We can 
produce about 10 percent of our fuel needs from grain, corn, milo-based 
ethanol. From the cellulosic material, we can get another 30 percent.
  We need a rapid expansion of plants and investment in this field. It 
is starting to take place. It is very encouraging. The economics are at 
work, particularly when you are looking at over $70 per barrel of oil. 
We can produce energy cheaper than $70 a barrel oil and get off the 
addiction. We need more of our cars running on 85-percent ethanol 
rather than 10-percent ethanol. We need more plug-in technologies where 
we have more cars that are using electricity rather than gasoline so we 
can break the addiction.
  This country can do it with our technology and our willingness and 
with the economics of today. We can do it. And it is a matter of utmost 
national security to break that addiction. It is time, I believe, that 
we in this body take up additional energy legislation. It is time we do 
that.
  I thank the Presiding Officer.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. DeMint). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I yield back the remainder of our morning 
business time.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, morning business time is 
yielded back.

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