[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 8]
[House]
[Pages 11000-11001]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  AMERICA'S DEPENDENCE ON FOREIGN OIL

  (Mr. WALBERG asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker, one of the greatest national liabilities is 
our overwhelming dependence on Middle Eastern oil, and the men and 
women of south central Michigan continue to stress to me the importance 
of diversifying our Nation's energy portfolio and advancing cleaner-
burning, home-grown, renewable energy sources.
  This week I will introduce legislation, the Energy Independence 
through Bio-Diesel Act, that will continue the process of moving our 
country towards energy independence.
  Creating a national standard for bio-diesel will encourage the 
technology and economies of scale necessary to make America the leader 
in renewable sources of energy.
  The Energy Independence through Bio-Diesel Act would create a 2 
percent standard for bio-diesel and amend the Clean Air Act to require 
that within 5 years all diesel fuel sold contains a 2 percent industry 
average.
  Fifty-five billion gallons of diesel were consumed in 2005, and a 2 
percent standard would create a 1.1-billion-gallon market. This 
standard will help

[[Page 11001]]

spur the necessary investments in facilities and technological 
advancements needed in this alternative fuel industry.
  I urge my colleagues to commit to diversifying our energy supply and 
lessen our dangerous dependence on foreign energy by supporting the 
Energy Independence through Bio-Diesel Act.

                          ____________________