[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Page 9345]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           ISSUES OF CONCERN

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, we are waiting today to see the success of 
the efforts of BP to plug that well that is spilling into the gulf. 
This morning, it is reported that there is a 70- to 80-percent chance 
that they can be successful. I certainly hope the odds that favor the 
stopping the oilspill work.
  It is very important that the American people understand, and the 
world understands, that we have to be ready for the damage this has 
caused. BP has indicated they will pay for all damages. The people of 
Louisiana, Mississippi, and other Gulf States are waiting to see when 
the oil will stop flowing.
  We have a number of issues that are concerning to the whole country 
as to our security. Of course, we have the cybersecurity issue, which, 
as the Pentagon mentioned, is a very important issue. We are working on 
that, and committees are doing legislation now to see what can be done 
to make us more secure in that regard.
  The other thing is we will never be a secure nation as long as we are 
dependent upon foreign oil--or to drop it down a notch, dependent on 
oil, period. This is an opportunity for the country to move away from 
fossil fuel and do a better job at looking at the renewable energies 
that are available to us all over this country, including Sun, wind, 
geothermal.
  I am very supportive of what Secretary Salazar did in approving the 
wind farm off the coast of Massachusetts. This is an opportunity for us 
to be independent and not have to depend so much on fossil fuels. It is 
no longer just the environment; it is also the security of this Nation. 
So as we wait with bated breath to see what is going to happen today in 
the gulf, I certainly hope it is successful and that we improve as a 
result of this terrible degradation of our environment, and improve our 
ability to use whatever domestic oil supply we have in a safer way.

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