Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2024

Floor Speech

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Mr. ZINKE. Madam Chair, I rise today to ask my colleagues to support my amendment to ensure the Department of Defense has the flexibility and authority to supply adequate power to defend this country and win in battle.

It is ironic that we are here today, and I can't believe we are talking about it, but we are. The latest rule by the Biden administration to force the DOD to only use electricity for power and heating without backup, without any regard to situation, terrain, technology, or supply chain, is absurd.

Let's talk about energy security and what it looks like. The first 2 years of the Trump administration, we went from 8.7 million barrels a day to 12.5 million barrels a day. We went from being energy vulnerable and dependent upon our allies and potential adversaries to being energy independent and, in some places, dominant.

By the way, we lowered emissions. Do you know why? Because America does energy better, cleaner, and more efficient than any other country on the face of this planet.

Let's talk about the Biden administration and what this does. It puts our national security at risk.

First, let's talk about supply chains. In the EV world, where are the minerals mined? Who controls the minerals, the processing, the manufacturing? Who controls the solar cells, the components that make up the EV world? China.

It is ironic that the moment we become energy independent, we are now moving to more dependency on our allies and what could be our adversaries.

Secondly, let's look at the cost. How much does it cost in the world we live in? We are looking at budgets and savings and the future. What this does is it raises the cost of construction, and there is no answer to the supply chain. Just on mining critical minerals alone, it would take a 2,000 percent increase for 20 years to meet the energy demands of batteries today. Yet, this administration puts this rule in, and by the way, good luck mining in the United States. The only thing this administration is approving is gravel pits.

Let's talk about the environment and disposal. Where do 90 percent of the solar cells go today? To landfills across this great Nation. How about the turbine blades? How about the batteries? Where are the batteries going? How do we remove the toxins? Do you know what? There is no answer. There is no answer for the supply chain in the processing and manufacturing, and there is no answer for the disposal.

Madam Chair, I agree with the gentlewoman from Florida that our oceans are precious, absolutely precious. Ninety percent of the plastics in the ocean come from four rivers in China. I can go over a list of the environmental atrocities in China.

Madam Chair, I ask my colleagues to vote for America, vote for American energy, and stop this absurdity that is going to cost lives because we won't be able to power this country.

Do you think we are having problems now? Ask the United States Navy, which had to pull the fleet out of San Diego. Do you know why? They don't have shore power because the grid is not set up for it. We are dangerously moving toward vulnerability.

Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Madam Chair, I claim the time in opposition to this amendment.

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