Washington, D.C. – Michael Bennet, U.S. Senator for Colorado, along with Senate colleagues Tom Carper (D-Del.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), introduced a bill to achieve American oil independence, strengthen national security and create jobs.  The Oil Independence for a Stronger America Act will set into law a goal to achieve independence from overseas oil in the next 20 years and a specific plan for achieving it.  It commits America to developing a robust clean energy economy, which would create new jobs and eliminate the national security vulnerability posed by dependence on foreign oil.  

“Across Colorado, I’ve met with entrepreneurs and small business owners who are already tapping into the potential of clean, renewable energy sources to create jobs, reduce energy costs and break our dependence on dirty fuels,” Bennet said. “Their innovation and effort are an example of the new energy economy’s potential to reenergize our country and our economy. This bill lays out a long-term, forward-thinking strategy to chart the course for our energy future—a strategy that will strengthen our national security, protect our land and water and create good-paying jobs right here in Colorado.”

To eliminate the nation’s reliance on foreign imports from non-North American countries by 2030, the Oil Independence for a Stronger America Act includes steps to ramp up production and use of electric vehicles, increase travel options and improve infrastructure, develop alternative transportation fuels and reduce the use of oil to heat buildings.

In particular, the legislation incorporates  S. 575, the Clean, Low-Emission, Affordable, New Transportation Efficiency Act (CLEAN-TEA), which Bennet has strongly supported since its introduction as stand-alone legislation.  Because transportation accounts for 70 percent of our oil consumption and 30 percent of our carbon pollution, CLEAN TEA provides options for a cleaner, greener transportation fleet.

This year, more than two-thirds of America’s oil imports will come from nations that too often do not share our goals or values.  This dependence on overseas oil costs our nation a billion dollars per day that could be used here at home.  It also prevents the United States from fully investing in home-grown American clean energy and undermines efforts to reduce pollution in our air and water.

The Oil Independence for a Stronger America Act would reduce oil consumption in the U.S. by more than 8 billion barrels per day by 2030, enough to end the need for oil imports from beyond North America.  Reducing oil consumption is the only way to break America’s national security and economic vulnerability to hostile countries and groups.