Arkansas Veterans urge Congress to protect national security

Call for stronger fuel economy standards to reduce reliance on foreign oil

November 8, 2007

LITTLE ROCK, AR– Today 18 Arkansas veterans released a letter to Members of Congress urging immediate action to enact stronger fuel economy standards and reduce our perilous reliance upon foreign sources of oil. The letter urges Congress to maintain the fuel economy provision of H.R. 6, the Renewable Fuels, Consumer Protection, and Energy Efficiency Act, as part of a final energy package due to be voted on before the end of the year. That provision, which passed the Senate in June and represents a broad bipartisan compromise, would increase average overall fuel economy to 35 miles per gallon by 2020, saving 1.2 million barrels of oil per day—twice the amount we currently import daily from Iraq.

“Americans understand that our dangerous dependence upon foreign oil impacts our national security, our pursuit of foreign policy and our military planning. Doing everything in our power to limit U.S. exposure to avoidable threats is just common sense. And making cars and trucks go farther on a gallon of gas is an achievable goal that can be employed with current technology and will benefit both consumers and our country,” said Matthew Singer US Navy, Veteran of OIF/JTF Cobra from Conway, Arkansas..

“Gas mileage standards have not increased in 20 years. The price of oil continues to rise at an alarming pace, this week topping $96 a barrel. Americans feel pick-pocketed at the pump,” said Don Richardson, Director of the Arkansas Climate Awareness Project and Vietnam Veteran.

“Technology already exists that can propel cars and trucks greater distances on the same amount of fuel but, once again the automakers are insisting it can’t be done. In times of crisis this country has risen to great heights to confront and solve our problems. Given the instability in the world today, we should be doing everything possible to limit our vulnerability. We can help protect American soldiers and reduce our nation’s oil addiction at the same time by cutting how much we use. America put a man on the moon in eight years. I think American ingenuity can propel cars and trucks to an average of 35 miles per gallon in the next 13 years. Frankly, it would be the patriotic thing to do” said Perry F. Ambrose, US Army Airborne, Vietnam Veteran from Searcy, Arkansas.

Excerpts from the letter to Congress:

“Our continued dependence on oil constitutes an immediate threat to our national security—economically, militarily, and diplomatically. Increasing fuel efficiency for cars and trucks is the most effective and efficient manner to decrease that dependence.”

“Since fuel efficiency standards were allowed to stall in 1985, our net oil imports have more than doubled from 27% to 60%. Today, the United States imports more than 10 million barrels of oil every day. And, the Department of Energy predicts that our dependence will reach 70% by 2025.”

“Reliance on unstable regions for a critical energy resource constrains U.S. foreign policy and can lead to political alignments that reduce U.S. leverage on other diplomatic issues. Additionally, the wealth we transfer to these regions in oil revenue has been used, and continues to be used, to fund terrorism and extremist, anti-American ideologies.”

“In addition, our reliance on foreign oil leaves us economically exposed to attacks upon on already vulnerable infrastructure. A number of militant groups have explicitly called for strikes upon refineries. Large-scale, successful attacks could send oil prices soaring exponentially.”

“We urge you to take bold and urgently needed steps to help protect America by maintaining a 35 mpg fuel economy standard and opposing half-measures in the upcoming energy conference.”

Arkansas Signers to this letter include:

GM2 (SW) Matthew D. Singer USN, Veteran of OIF/JTF Cobra, Conway, Arkansas
Perry F. Ambrose, US Army Airborne, Vietnam Veteran, Searcy, Arkansas
Don Richardson, US Army, Vietnam Veteran and Member--Vietnam Veterans Against the War, Clinton, Arkansas
Larry Owens, Air Force, Vietnam Veteran, Hughes and Little Rock, Arkansas
Earl Moore, Army, Vietnam Veteran, Hughes, Arkansas
Wally Brown, Army, Vietnam Veteran, West Memphis, Arkansas
Theodore Eldridge, Army, Vietnam Veteran, Lexa, Arkansas
Jessie White, Army, Vietnam Veteran, Hughes, Arkansas
Al Brooks, US Army- Honorably Discharged, Waldron, Arkansas
Bobby Burrows, USN Honorable Discharged, Conway, Arkansas
Kay Davis, n/a, Mount Vernon
Samuel Dudley, Fayetteville, Arkansas
Mark Fleeman, Army Honorably Discharged, Sheridan, Arkansas
Bradley A. Harris, Army vet, Fort Smith, Arkansas
Larry LeDuc, USMC Retired, Vilonia, Arkansas
George M. Kesselring, Major USAF Retired, Van Buren, Arkansas
Richard McFadden, USAF Viet Nam, Conway, Arkansas
Lyell Thompson, Retired, Fayetteville, Arkansas