National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012

Floor Speech

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Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I rise today to reiterate my support for section 526 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. Section 526 prohibits Federal agencies including the Department of Defense--from contracting for fuels that have higher emissions than conventional petroleum.

This is not only an issue of clean energy and a better environment but, more importantly, our Nation's security and ability to fight. The Department of Defense is the world's biggest energy consumer, using 300,000 barrels of oil every day. Given our reliance on foreign sources of oil, this is a formidable security challenge for our country.

The efforts underway at the Department to increase efficiency and expand the use of renewable energy and alternative fuel sources are critical to both the bottom line of Pentagon and to increase the safety of our warfighters. As you know, a record number of casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan have occurred while units transport fuel and supplies in military convoys. Increasing our energy and fuel efficiency not only reduces the overhead costs of the military, but it will also decrease the need to move as much fuel and supplies, lessening the risks posed by these convoys to our troops.

This is an important and timely issue because while the National Defense Authorization Act we are considering on the Senate floor does nothing to affect section 526, the House version of NDAA repeals this important law.

The Department of Defense supports this existing law and has said that it does not prevent them from purchasing the fuel it needs to meet its current mission needs. Hundreds of veterans who served in the Armed Forces from World War II through the Iraq and Afghanistan wars have asked the Senate to oppose repeal of section 526.

I urge my colleagues to join with the Department and our veterans to support this law.

I also applaud the work the DOD has done to date to move toward homegrown, renewable fuel sources, including the Navy's commitment to reduce petroleum use in its fleet by 50 percent through programs such as the Green Fleet.

To help the DOD realize its goals and to increase the security of our troops, we must dramatically scale up advanced biofuels production in the United States. Companies here in the United States have already developed technologies to produce ``drop-in'' ready fuels, so no new infrastructure or engine modifications are needed. These fuels are based on plants like camelina, jatropha, and algae--plants that can be grown all over the country in a variety of climates.

I believe section 526 has laid the foundation for this needed scale up of advanced biofuels, and it is time to take the next step toward ensuring that the DOD has access to a greater range of energy options than foreign sources of fossil fuels. That is why I have been working with my colleagues, Senator Cantwell, Congressman Inslee, and others, to put in place multiyear contracting authority for the purchase of biofuels.

We have introduced legislation in both the Senate and the House to do just that, and while that legislation in not included in this bill, I am pleased that we were able to include language that will require the Department to clarify its existing authorities for multiyear contracts for the purchase of advance biofuels and what additional authorities are needed for the Department to enter into such contracts going forward.

Mr. President, I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure the final NDAA bill keeps the Department moving forward on securing and supporting renewable energy and fuel alternatives.

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