Energy

ENERGY-- (Senate - January 31, 2005)

Mr. DURBIN. In the New York Times yesterday, Thomas Friedman, their foreign correspondent, made a valuable suggestion that relates both to the Energy Department, which Dr. Bodman will be heading, as well as our challenge in the Middle East. It is a point I have made but not as eloquently as Thomas Friedman in his article.

He said he is now part of what he calls a ``geo green movement,'' and he defined it as follows: The United States of America should be moving toward energy conservation and new renewable sources of energy to lessen our dependence on foreign oil.

The vast majority of Americans believe that is a good thing. I certainly do. You would believe that most people in this Chamber would. But not when it comes to the actual votes on better fuel economy and better fuel efficiency for America's trucks and cars. I have tried several times unsuccessfully to pass this.

How can we honestly talk about reducing our dependence on foreign oil when we continue to drive these SUVs and trucks and cars with worse gas mileage every year? Almost 50 percent of the oil we import goes into refineries in indoor gasoline tanks.

And unless or until we use less of that oil, we cannot reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

The point being made by Mr. Friedman in his article is that when America needs less foreign oil, and the price of a barrel of oil comes down, then a lot of these countries in the Middle East that supply us with oil will no longer be able to subsidize the lifestyles of monarchies and the governments of inequity. They will be forced to open and diversify their economy. Women will go to school. You will have more training of people in the workforce.

But as long as we have an inflated cost for a barrel of oil, and they are bringing millions if not billions of dollars from the United States into these Middle Eastern countries, there is no impetus or force for change in that society or lifestyle.

So Mr. Friedman challenges us in Congress and in this Government to move toward more fuel efficiency and more fuel economy, to lower the price of oil and to create another force toward democratization, toward opening the societies and governments of the Middle East. It is hard to do. It is hard to do without Government action.

My wife and I were recently looking for a new car, so we kind of laid down some rules: We wanted to buy American. We did not want an SUV. We did not need a big car like that. And we wanted something that is fuel efficient.

Well, good luck. In America, there were not many choices. We kept reading about the Ford Escape hybrid. As we read about this possibility of 35, 36 miles a gallon in the city, we went out and put in an application for one. Do you know it took 5 months to get it? Those cars are in such high demand now you cannot buy them.

So there is a market out there, and we need to encourage that market for fuel efficiency and fuel economy. It is not only good for reducing our dependence on foreign oil, it is good for the environment to burn less gasoline.

I gave a speech 2 weeks ago in Chicago to a group of professional engineers and talked to them about energy and about the need for conservation. They stood up and said: We can't understand why the Senate doesn't get it. Why aren't we moving toward more fuel efficiency and more fuel economy?

Well, the honest answer is this: The Big Three in Detroit have been slow to this issue. Once again, they were scooped by the Japanese who offered hybrid automobiles long before Detroit offered them.

Why, with all of our great engineering schools, with all of the great scientists and departments of science in our major universities, do we always run a distant second when it comes to this new technology on automobiles and trucks? I do not understand it. Detroit seems to be a year behind consumer needs and appetites. I hope that changes, and changes soon.

I spoke to Dr. Bodman about this, and he reminded me it is more the province for the Department of Transportation than the Department of Energy. But when we consider an energy bill Senator Domenici will bring to the floor soon, look closely to see if there will be one word in there about fuel efficiency in cars and trucks. The last time there was scant reference to this challenge we face.

Well, we have to look at that from a new perspective, an honest perspective that will not only help us and our environment and lessen our dependence on foreign oil but force some changes in the countries in the Middle East which, sadly, will not change unless there is some outside force.

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