General James L. Jones, USMC (Ret.) - Securing America's Energy Future - U.S. Chamber of Commerce

7/16/08


Good morning ladies and gentlemen.

Thank you, Tom, for that kind introduction and those prescient remarks.

Before starting on this morning’s program, I would like to thank Tom for giving me this opportunity at the Chamber to lead a team that has put together the Institute for 21st Century Energy. When I retired a year and a half ago after 40 years in the military, I wanted to stay involved in national security affairs. Every day I feel more and more convinced that ensuring our nation has a reliable and affordable supply of energy to fuel our economy and keep our nation strong at home and abroad is one the most important and pressing national security challenges of this century.

Today we are pleased to mark a first major milestone of the Institute by unveiling a strategic paper in the form of an Open Letter to the next President and Congress. This Letter lays out recommendations for a comprehensive energy policy. We certainly did not write it in a vacuum. It was a team effort, and we reached out to many corporate executives, energy experts, environmentalists, scientists, consumers, and, yes, too many of you here today in the audience.

The Institute has had the distinct advantage of being part of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Under the leadership of Tom Donohue, the Chamber has supported
Institute for 21st Century Energy the Institute with its many dedicated professionals, vast resources, and extensive network throughout the country and the world. In particular, I’d like to thank Bruce Josten and Bill Kovacs and their offices for their legislative, regulatory, and technical expertise. Dan Christman and his able International Division staff have been instrumental in helping us put together the ever-important international component of our program. I would also like to thank David Chavern, Jim Robinson, and Tom Collamore for their expert guidance and counsel.

I want to thank all these people who have given their time, put aside corporate and individual biases, and united for the common good of an energy policy that we, as a group, believe is in the best interest of this nation.

Today, as we unveil these recommendations, you will see there are several dozen of America’s most influential and respected leaders who have joined our effort. Collectively, they have served our nation for hundreds of years in the Executive and Legislative branches, all four branches of the military, the White House, and numerous federal agencies, including the Departments of State, Defense, and Energy. They have served our nation during every major economic and national security crisis since before the 1973 Arab oil embargo and before OPEC was even created. They share the conviction that if we fail to adopt a comprehensive, rational, and long-term energy plan that the American public understands and supports, we run the risk of adversely affecting our nation’s pivotal global role.

Several of the individuals who signed this document are with us this morning. We thank each of you for being here today – you honor us with your presence. And thank you for helping us bring attention to two of the defining issues of our time – energy and the environment. In a moment I will introduce these outstanding Americans and ask each to make a few remarks.

The Open Letter emphasizes the importance of Securing America’s Energy Future and proposes a new course for our nation’s policymakers. We recommend that our
national leadership place the highest priority on developing and implementing a strategic energy policy that has a long-term, sensible vision. Failure to do so will put America’s economic prosperity and long-term national security at risk. The choice is ours: take control now of our energy future, or leave it to the next generation to figure out. Clearly, the status quo is not an option.

America is at a strategic cross road, and how we deal with the energy and environmental challenges will define us as a nation for the foreseeable future.
Energy has national and international ramifications, and major economic consequences. It has security implications at all levels – family security, national
security, and international security. We need to ask the strategic question: Where do we want to be – not next year, but – in the year 2050?

Solutions can be found only by adopting the correct long-term, comprehensive strategy. We cannot take a tactical, piecemeal approach. I’m reminded of Sun Tzu
and his writings in The Art of War: “Strategy without tactics is the slowest road to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.”

Any successful effort to enhance our energy security and preserve the environment cannot be borne solely by a single administration. This is a challenge that must be met through the efforts of the private sector, government at all levels, and our society at large. Foremost, we must rise above partisanship and be united in our efforts. It is an effort that will have to be sustained for decades to come, and it will require American leadership on the global stage.

America is unmatched in the caliber of its academic institutions, research laboratories, entrepreneurs, and private industry. But we have yet to unleash the
real and unique power of America’s innovation to solve our energy and environmental challenges. Yes, this is a monumental undertaking. But at the same
time, it presents an historic opportunity for America to demonstrate global leadership, create new jobs, and craft new American technology.
We need the type of national commitment that we saw when President Eisenhower

said we were going to build a highway across the nation – and he introduced the national highway system. To achieve this, we must unite both sides of the political aisle. By making this a non-partisan, national issue, we can start finding energy solutions in our own country, and, in the process, help the world solve its problems. We live in an energy interdependent world. The United States must be part of the solution, rather than be seen as part of the problem.

The Letter makes it clear that energy is an issue that easily rises to the highest levels of national security considerations as we look to the future in this highly complex and very different 21st Century. It outlines 13 pillars that must form the foundation of a sound, comprehensive energy policy for the United States.

This sensible policy will improve energy efficiency across all sectors of the U.S. economy, reduce the impact of our energy production and consumption on the
environment, and provide a major boost in clean energy technology. You can read the specific proposals in the copy of the Letter that has been provided to you today.

Briefly, the pillars address such areas as:
• increasing the use of renewable and alternative forms of energy;
• making more and efficient use of our own domestic oil and gas resources;
• expanding this country’s nuclear power capacity;
• committing to the use of clean coal;
• enhancing and protecting critical energy infrastructure; and
• developing a solid cadre of trained professionals to work in these critical fields.

Let me emphasize that we are not picking winners and losers – we need a comprehensive policy that gives Americans maximum options. We can neither rely solely on any one of these pillars nor drop any from the list of necessary actions. We need to address them all, simultaneously. We need to think strategically. And we need to do it in a way that’s clear and logical, in such a way that the American citizens can understand and support.

Today’s release of the Open Letter is only the beginning. Later this summer we’ll release an energy blueprint for America’s 21st Century that expands upon today’s recommendations, and we will hold a series of events around the United States on a range of energy issues. We are also putting together a transition plan for the next President, his Administration, and the Congress.

As we move forward, let me remind everyone that this isn’t a spectator sport. We eed your “energy” as individuals, business executives, and association leaders, and your sustained support as we continue raising these critical issues, educating the American public, and advancing the pillars of a comprehensive, sensible energy policy.

The challenges I’ve outlined this morning are daunting, but we remain optimistic. We have an exciting opportunity to lead the world to innovative solutions that will spur economic growth and care for the environment. Our nation’s history suggests that in times of national crises, our leaders rise to the occasion for the national good. Clearly, our future energy security commands such attention. We need to start now and answer the clarion call for action on a national energy policy.

Thank you very much.

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