Set America Free news and events

June 22, 2007 Update to friends

Victories on the road to energy security

Sen. Reid, Sen. Kerry, Gal Luft, and representatives of Tesla, A123,
and the Electric Drive Transportation Assoc.

After weeks of deliberations (and at times squabbles), the Senate passed an energy bill which includes many provisions of the bipartisan DRIVE Act based on the Set America Free Coalition's Blueprint for Energy Security. By a vote of 63-30, the Senate approved the DRIVE Act's oil savings amendment, which directs the Executive Branch to identify within 9 months, and to announce within 18 months, federal requirements in order to achieve a 2.5 million barrel-per-day reduction in U.S. oil consumption by 2016, a 7 million barrel-per-day reduction by 2026, and a 10 million barrel-per-day reduction by 2031; and direct the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to publish an analysis identifying the oil savings projected to be achieved by each measure to be announced, and demonstrating that the listed measures will achieve the overall specified oil-savings. The amendment also includes specific requirements for the Executive Branch to evaluate, review, and update the action plan. Click here to see how your Senators voted on this provision. "The passage of this amendment is a key victory in the battle to break America's dependence on foreign oil and strengthen our national security," said Senator Joe Lieberman, who along with Senators Bayh, Brownback, Coleman, and Salazar was a key architect of the legislation.

The Senate's energy bill, titled The CLEAN Energy Act of 2007, includes most of the DRIVE Act's provisions to advance the commercialization of plug in hybrids and the use of electricity in the transportation sector, critical for reducing oil dependence since today hardly any U.S. electricity is generated from oil. An amendment that added these provisions to the bill was passed by unanimous consent. On June 20 Set America Free's co-chair Gal Luft joined Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Senators John Kerry and Evan Bayh as well as three leaders in new energy technologies for a press conference to discuss how energy-efficiency can sharpen America's competitive edge.

"We have the technology to become a more energy-efficient nation, and we should embrace it. Said Sen. Reid in front of two plug in hybrids brought to the Capitol by A123 Systems, a car battery developer, "Becoming a leader in new energy technologies will sharpen America's competitive edge, strengthen our security and protect our environment." Sen. Kerry concurred: "Plug-in car technology offers a blueprint for clean, efficient, affordable driving if the auto industry is willing to listen. I don't know of anyone who isn't interested in getting 150 miles to the gallon with their car, and that could soon be a reality." Luft said: "Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles allow Americans to use made-in-America electricity rather than Middle East oil. Since we no longer produce electricity from petroleum, there is no better way to strengthen America's security and remove the yoke of our oil dependence than the electrification of our transportation system."

The CLEAN Energy Act also includes requirements to produce 36 billion gallons a year of a variety of biofuels by 2022 (a sevenfold increase over production in 2006,) an increase in automobile fuel economy standards and a requirement to establish and implement an action plan to ensure that 50 percent of the vehicles for sale in model year 2015 are alternative fuel vehicles.

The legislation's path to passage is far from complete. The House of Representatives is considering its own version, which so far also includes many provisions of the DRIVE Act. Congressmen Dingell, the Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued a statement earlier this week saying that for now his committee will focus on issues around which consensus can be achieved, avoiding some of the more controversial items that the Senate took on. How the two chambers will reconcile the non-trivial differences between their approaches is an open question. We will keep you posted as this develops.

PSA on board
Our friends at the Partnership for Secure America (PSA) joined the chorus of security groups calling for energy action. In a luncheon on Capitol Hill Senator Gary Hart and Set America Free's Robert McFarlane announced the Partnership's energy statement. The statement's signatories included, among others, three former Senators, a former Congressman, a former Secretary of State, two former Ambassadors, and two former National Security Advisors. To read the statement click here.

Events
Over the past two weeks the Coalition took part in events in Austin, San Antonio, New Orleans and New York, and hosted a briefing on Capitol Hill featuring members of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group (SVLG).

Primary Energy
Watch presidential candidates discussing their energy platforms here.

Calling local activists
We're taking the message of oil savings across the country and we need your help. The Set America Free Coalition is offering minigrants for local activists with good ideas that can save oil in their communities. Click here to read about the program.

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THE SET AMERICA FREE COALITION brings together prominent individuals and non-profit organizations concerned about the security and economic implications of America's growing dependence on foreign oil. The coalition, organized by the Institute for the Analysis of Global Security (IAGS), promotes a blueprint which spells out practical ways in which real progress toward energy security can be made over the next several years.
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