Weekly Update for Monday, January 29, 2007

Weekly Update for Monday, January 29, 2007

Update on Iraq

As we prepare to focus on Iraq this week in the Senate, I've cosponsored a bipartisan resolution stating that "It is not in the national interest of the United States to deepen its military involvement in Iraq, particularly by escalating U.S. troop presence in Iraq." This resolution sends a clear, bipartisan message that Congress does not support the president's plan for a troop escalation. I oppose the president's plan and believe we need a political solution to the war and more diplomatic efforts to get there, including a Dayton-like summit and an oil law to help resolve ongoing disputes between Shiites, Sunnis, and Kurds. Sending more troops to Baghdad will increase the likelihood of more American casualties and will not end the violence. Much more must be done and I will continue to work with my colleagues on this issue. This resolution is an important step in working to bring our men and women in uniform home.

Investing in Plug-In Hybrids

According to a new study by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Tri-Cities, the U.S. electricity grid is underutilized most of the time, and with the proper plan in place, could deliver enough power to fuel 70 percent of the country's cars and light trucks. Right now, the U.S. electricity infrastructure operates at peak capacity approximately 5 percent of the time—and seldom at night when vehicles like plug-in hybrids would charge. Charging a plug-in hybrid at the current national average residential electricity rate of 9 cents per kilowatt amounts to a cost equal to $1 per gallon of gas, and just 70 cents "per gallon" in Washington state. To take advantage of this tremendous potential, I'm working with Senators Orrin Hatch and Barack Obama to develop legislation that would increase our investment in plug-in hybrid technology. We plan to introduce this legislation in the next few weeks..

Getting More Miles per Gallon

In addition to investing in new technologies, we already have the technology to save drivers hundreds of dollars a year at the gas pump—without having to change their choices in cars or trucks—by improving the efficiency of vehicles families can buy. To get this technology out on the road, I've joined with senators from both parties in authoring a proposal to raise the combined average gas mileage of all new cars, vans, SUVs, and light trucks from 25 to 35 miles per gallon by model year 2019. By 2025, our proposal would cut vehicular greenhouse gas emissions by 18 percent—equivalent to taking 60 million of today's cars off the road—and reduce oil imports by 2.1 million barrels per day—an amount just slightly less that our daily oil imports from the Persian Gulf. We must do more to end our overdependence on fossil fuels, and getting Americans 10 more miles per gallon will go a long way toward achieving that goal.

Staying Tough on Crime

To reduce violent crime, keep drugs out of our communities, and stop gang violence, we need to give our local law enforcement agencies the resources, tools, and personnel they need to do their jobs efficiently and effectively. That's why I've joined Senator Joe Biden in introducing legislation to reinvigorate the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program. The COPS program, which has faced deep cuts in recent years, helps state and local law enforcement hire additional police officers, train prosecutors, and purchase new crime-fighting technology. Since the program's creation in 1994, Washington state has received more than $192 million in COPS program grants to hire more that 1,900 additional officers and acquire more than $22 million in new technology like laptop computers for patrol cars and crime mapping software. The legislation I'm backing would reinforce this program. To confront the meth problem in our state, it would also implement innovative initiatives to reduce and prevent illegal drug manufacturing and distribution.

Leading the Senate's Oceans and Coast Guard Panel

Last Wednesday, I was named chair of the Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard. This panel, which I served on last year as the top Democrat, oversees ocean and coastal issues, including tsunami readiness, offshore development, oil pollution, climate change research, and fishery management. With so many jobs in our state dependent on shipping, fishing, and other maritime activities, and with dozens of our communities vulnerable to an oil spill or tsunami, this panel's work is critical to our state. In my new position, I will keep working to promote scientific research and sustainable management of our ocean resources, bolster our ability to prevent and respond to oil spills, and make sure the Coast Guard continues protecting our ports, the safety of mariners, and our marine environment.

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