President Bush used his Saturday radio address to urge bipartisan cooperation on efforts to diversify the nation's energy supply and reduce the United States' reliance on oil, echoing remarks from his State of the Union address.
Bush spoke about his "Twenty in Ten" goal that calls for reducing America's gasoline use by 20% in the next 10 years. Americans should both increase the supply of alternative fuels and decrease the demand for gasoline, he said.
"I'm optimistic because the technology we need to achieve this goal is advancing every day," Bush said. "Every member of Congress who cares about strengthening out economy, protecting out national security and confronting climate change should support the energy initiatives I have set out."
The president noted that the $2.9 trillion fiscal 2008 budget he sent to Congress on Monday includes $2.7 billion to expand alternative energy research. The funds would be used to support research into cellulosic ethanol, which is produced from sources such as wood chips and grasses, as well as for technologies such as hydrogen fuel cells, Bush said.
Bush's comments come amid increasing international focus on climate change. Last week, a United Nations report found there is "very high confidence" linking human activities to an "unequivocal" warming trend. See full story.
Bush's comments come amid increasing international focus on climate change. Last week, a United Nations report found there is "very high confidence" linking human activities to an "unequivocal" warming trend. See full story.
Democrats, who won control of both the House and Senate in last November's elections, have said the overall budget plan omits key figures and will lead to bigger debt. See full story.
Bush has proposed a mandatory fuels standard that would require the use of 35 billion gallons of renewable and other alternative fuels by 2017. He has also proposed fuel economy standards that would make cars more energy efficient.
During the radio speech, the president painted a stark picture of an America dependent on oil.
"Our nation's reliance on oil leaves us vulnerable to hostile regimes and terrorists, who could damage our economy by disrupting the global oil supply," Bush said. "A spike in oil prices anywhere in the world could lead to higher prices at gas pumps here in America. And burning oil and gasoline creates air pollution and greenhouse gases."
Alternatively, new energy technologies could positively affect the daily lives of Americans, he said.
"You could fill up your gas tank with fuel that comes mostly from an American prairie or farm, instead of an oil well overseas," Bush said. "You could drive to work in a car that runs on electricity instead of gasoline, or on hydrogen fuel cells that emit no pollution. You would see the rise of dynamic new businesses that create jobs for American workers and sell alternative energy products around the world."
As of 2005, the U.S. consumed nearly 21 million barrels of oil a day, and imported more than 12 million barrels of oil a day, according to data from the Energy Information Administration.
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