Reading like a poorly drafted high-school term paper, Gabby Giffords delivers this nonsensical letter to the Sierra Vista Herald. Gabby rambles incoherently about climate change, oil independence, military supply lines, global warming, and how solar panels will not only protect the United states but the US Military fighting in Afghanistan. It is written so poorly that one would have to conclude that she hastily penned it on the school bus in route to first period. Please tell me Gabby, that you had a staffer ghost-write this one for you. Since we now “grade” our elected officials, you definitely do not get a B+ for this term paper.
The safety and security of the United States will depend on how well we as a nation address the challenges of climate change. [Huh?]
That was reaffirmed for me at the recent United Nations climate conference in Copenhagen, which I attended as part of a bipartisan congressional delegation.
Opponents of climate action argue there is no proof that greenhouse gas emissions are causing climate change and therefore we should not expend significant effort to reduce those emissions.
But many of the steps that would reduce greenhouse gas emissions are steps we must take to increase our national security — specifically by weaning ourselves off oil.
As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I am concerned about how our dependence on oil threatens our national security. As a member of the House Science and Technology Committee, I am confident that renewable energy, especially solar energy, can be a key solution.
The Department of Defense accounts for 80 percent of the federal government’s energy consumption. Three-quarters of the department’s energy is used for military operations — and 94 percent of that energy comes from petroleum.
Where does that petroleum come from? In 1970, we imported 24 percent of our oil. Today, it’s more than 65 percent and growing. By depending on foreign sources for two-thirds of our oil, we are in a precarious position in an unpredictable world.
The impact of our oil dependence is more than just a vague, geopolitical risk — it is felt directly by our troops on the front lines every day, where they use petroleum for everything from armored vehicles to air conditioners.
A recent report by the Government Accountability Office determined that transporting fuel to the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan poses tremendous security risks and logistical burdens to U.S. armed forces.
For the military, greater fuel efficiency and solar power prove their worth with lives saved and battles won.
Our dependence on oil weakens us at home, as well. In his recent speech on Afghanistan, President Barack Obama noted that we cannot be militarily strong unless we are economically strong.
Yet our nation spends more than $400 billion a year on foreign sources of energy. That’s money taken out of our economy and sent to foreign nations — and it is draining the lifeblood from our economy.
However, a recent report by the Solar Energy Industries Association found that solar can meet 15 percent of our nation’s electricity demands by 2020. That would mean 800,000 new jobs for American workers.
Clearly, reducing our dependence on imported oil and switching to domestic, renewable energy sources would make our nation more secure.
Because it understands this, the Department of Defense is taking the lead on energy efficiency and renewables. The military has set an ambitious goal of obtaining 20 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2020.
The results of this effort are apparent in Tucson at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. A vast array of 80,000 solar panels soon will provide power to 900 homes for Air Force personnel and their families.
Now the rest of our country must follow.
We in Congress recently took an important step to make solar power even more effective — and attractive — in the years ahead. The House of Representatives gave strong bipartisan approval to my Solar Technology Roadmap Act, a bill that would boost federal research for the development of improved solar energy technology.
This bill would advance solar research and help move new technologies from laboratories into our homes, businesses and military bases. I am hopeful the Senate soon will consider my bill and send it to the president.
Our dependence on oil is a threat to our national security — but we have the knowledge and the tools to address the challenge.
The United States military represents the paragon of American ingenuity, discipline and dedication. They are applying those traits to the development of a 21st century energy policy, one that will not only reduce emissions, but also make us and our men and women in uniform more secure.
In 1970 we imported 24% of our oil. Jimmy Carter promised then to “wean us off of foreign oil?” President Peanut created the Department of Energy, whose main goal was to gain energy independence for America. 30+ years later, the Dept of Energy has a budget of $24.2 billion, 16,000 employees, and approximately 100,00 contract employees. The results? Now we import 65% of our oil. Job well done!
Gabby bounces back and forth between oil and solar as though they are interchangeable commodities. “We have to get off of oil and the solution is solar”, is her theme and that is just plain lunacy. We will NEVER not need oil. For the last thirty years, I have heard day in and day out that solar is the answer and viable solutions are just around the corner [if we only spend enough money]. The idea that the government has to subsidize the solar energy industry for innovations to come to fruition is moronic at best. The company that finally develops the big breakthrough in solar tech will become a multi-billion dollar global company overnight. That is enough incentive for any business, not some tax-payer funded House bill.
Gabby states [and gets it wrong] that “Our dependence on oil is a threat to our national security”. Our dependence on foreign oil is the threat to our national security.
Gabby should be made to answer the questions that arise from her op-ed. Such as; How will solar panels help our troops in war zones? How has your Solar Initiatives helped us win battles on the war on terror? As a member of the House Science and Technology Committee, can you please explain why our dependence on foriegn oil has increased under your watch? The list of questions is long. What questions do you want answered?
I can’t wait to see that new Humvee with solar panels on the top of it. You know, the one that’s saving lives and winning battles.
Interesting post. Thanks for share