[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 6]
[House]
[Page 7669]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 AMERICA MUST BECOME ENERGY INDEPENDENT

  (Mr. KINGSTON asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. KINGSTON. Madam Speaker, in 2004, the United States of America 
spent $103 billion buying oil from non-democratic countries, such 
countries as Venezuela, as Iran, as Russia, and even ones who are our 
allies like Saudi Arabia, where some of that money finds its way into 
the hands of terrorist groups.
  We are funding both sides in the war on terrorism. It is a national 
security issue. We have to get off Middle East oil, and we need to 
reduce our oil dependency. We import 60 percent of our oil today.
  Congressman Eliot Engel and I have introduced H.R. 670. The goal of 
it is to reduce our oil consumption by 20 percent in 20 years. It has 
overwhelming bipartisan support, both in the House and the Senate.
  Now, if you don't buy that, there is another reason to focus on this, 
and it has to do with your pocketbook. Just think about the flexibility 
that we have out there in fuel choices, from ethanol to biodiesel to 
battery operated cars.
  Madam Speaker, we need to move in this direction. I recommend H.R. 
670 to my colleagues and hope they will cosponsor it with me.

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