AMERICA'S ENERGY PROBLEM: DEAL WITH IT AS WE HAVE WITH PAST PROBLEMS

After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Congress created the bi-partisan 9-11 commission to investigate what happened, determine how prepared we were and to find ways to guard against future attacks.

America typically pulls together and responds to the crises we face. We did it in World War II with the Manhattan Project that developed nuclear weapons before the Nazis did. We did it in the 1960’s when President Kennedy set a goal of sending a man to the moon, and we did it with the 9-11 Commission which included as a member, Nebraska's own former Governor and Senator Bob Kerrey.

America Needs an Energy Commission
What I want to know is why we don't treat the energy crisis facing our country the same way? The problems we face are economy-wide and have been building for a long time; there is no simple, easy solution. That is why I am pushing Congress to create a National Commission on Energy Policy and Global Climate Change.

This group of non-partisan experts would advise and assist Congress in its efforts to develop a comprehensive, coherent national energy policy. It would also address greenhouse gas emissions in order to combat global climate change without damaging the economy. While global climate change is an environmental problem, the solutions to address it revolve around energy.

Create a Legislative Blueprint
There is a large universe of relevant information, studies, and proposals and no shortage of differing opinions. The Commission would review all of this in order to create a legislative blueprint for an economy-wide energy policy that would also address global climate change.

The Commission would look closely at our production and domestic consumption of energy from all sources, along with issues such as oil speculation that may be pushing prices upward. They would also review the structure of the energy industry, our electricity production and transmission. Additionally, they would evaluate the issues surrounding transportation fuels, renewable energy, biofuels, wind, solar, geothermal, hydrogen, nuclear energy and exotic fuels such as an alternative oil produced by algae.

Finally, the Commission would also need to assess the impact of human activity on our environment and the consequences of global climate change on humans and other species. These consequences would include our national security, economy and public health and safety.

Failed to Get the Message in the Past
It is frustrating that we didn’t undertake this effort in the 1970’s after the OPEC Oil Embargo on the west. Brazil did. In 1973 Brazil vowed "never again" and launched a national program to find an alternative to gasoline. It took three decades but it was well worth the effort as last year Brazil declared energy independence. It imports no foreign oil thanks in part to its sugarcane-based ethanol industry that has reduced its need for gasoline and has developed into a cost effective, renewable source of fuel.

American leaders didn’t get the message in the 1970's and they didn't get it again in the 1980's when gasoline was rationed and prices soared. And we still are not getting the message even as oil prices are soaring and everyone is feeling the pain. All we hear in Washington are the same old arguments.

I do not believe that we can continue on our present course. This time Washington needs to feel the same sense of urgency that the people feel and act in the national interest. I think that the first step we can take this year is to establish a national commission on energy to help Congress sort out the imposing energy and environmental problems we face and help find ways to address them.

This would be in the finest tradition of the way Americans have addressed crises in the past. We did it then. We can do it again. We owe it not only to ourselves but to our children and grandchildren.

###



	Column	June 23, 2008
AMERICA'S ENERGY PROBLEM: DEAL WITH IT AS WE HAVE WITH PAST PROBLEMS After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Congress created the bi-partisan 9-11 commission to investigate what happened, determine how prepared we were and to find ways to guard against future attacks. America typically pulls together and responds to the crises we face. We did it in World War II with the Manhattan Project that developed nuclear weapons before the Nazis did. We did it in the 1960’s when President Kennedy set a goal of sending a man to the moon, and we did it with the 9-11 Commission which included as a member, Nebraska's own former Governor and Senator Bob Kerrey. America Needs an Energy Commission What I want to know is why we don't treat the energy crisis facing our country the same way? The problems we face are economy-wide and have been building for a long time; there is no simple, easy solution. That is why I am pushing Congress to create a National Commission on Energy Policy and Global Climate Change. This group of non-partisan experts would advise and assist Congress in its efforts to develop a comprehensive, coherent national energy policy. It would also address greenhouse gas emissions in order to combat global climate change without damaging the economy. While global climate change is an environmental problem, the solutions to address it revolve around energy. Create a Legislative Blueprint There is a large universe of relevant information, studies, and proposals and no shortage of differing opinions. The Commission would review all of this in order to create a legislative blueprint for an economy-wide energy policy that would also address global climate change. The Commission would look closely at our production and domestic consumption of energy from all sources, along with issues such as oil speculation that may be pushing prices upward. They would also review the structure of the energy industry, our electricity production and transmission. Additionally, they would evaluate the issues surrounding transportation fuels, renewable energy, biofuels, wind, solar, geothermal, hydrogen, nuclear energy and exotic fuels such as an alternative oil produced by algae. Finally, the Commission would also need to assess the impact of human activity on our environment and the consequences of global climate change on humans and other species. These consequences would include our national security, economy and public health and safety. Failed to Get the Message in the Past It is frustrating that we didn’t undertake this effort in the 1970’s after the OPEC Oil Embargo on the west. Brazil did. In 1973 Brazil vowed "never again" and launched a national program to find an alternative to gasoline. It took three decades but it was well worth the effort as last year Brazil declared energy independence. It imports no foreign oil thanks in part to its sugarcane-based ethanol industry that has reduced its need for gasoline and has developed into a cost effective, renewable source of fuel. American leaders didn’t get the message in the 1970's and they didn't get it again in the 1980's when gasoline was rationed and prices soared. And we still are not getting the message even as oil prices are soaring and everyone is feeling the pain. All we hear in Washington are the same old arguments. I do not believe that we can continue on our present course. This time Washington needs to feel the same sense of urgency that the people feel and act in the national interest. I think that the first step we can take this year is to establish a national commission on energy to help Congress sort out the imposing energy and environmental problems we face and help find ways to address them. This would be in the finest tradition of the way Americans have addressed crises in the past. We did it then. We can do it again. We owe it not only to ourselves but to our children and grandchildren. ###