US Senate agrees to reverse ban on military's biofuel buys
Washington (Platts)--28Nov2012/518 pm EST/2218 GMT
The US Senate on Wednesday agreed to remove a provision from a defense
bill that would have barred the US military from purchasing large
amounts of biofuels.
The provision, passed by a vote of 62-37, removes an amendment included
in the National Defense Authorization Act by the Senate Armed Services
Committee in May. That amendment blocked the Pentagon from buying
alternative fuels that are more expensive than petroleum-based fossil
fuels, including jet fuel and diesel.
Senator Mark Udall, a Colorado Democrat who introduced the provision
which passed Wednesday, said military investment in biofuels was
necessary to reduce reliance on foreign oil.
"Energy security and national security are inseparable, and our military
is taking a necessary leadership role in developing and employing new
technologies," Udall said in a statement.
In a floor speech Wednesday, he said funding for energy development has
made the US safer.
The original amendment blocking the Pentagon from spending on biofuels
was originally introduced by Senators Jame Inhofe, an Oklahoma
Republican, and John McCain, an Arizona Republican.
In a floor speech Wednesday, Inhofe compared investment in biofuels to
"experimenting in green energy."
Nine Republicans voted for Udall's amendment Wednesday while two
Democrats voted against it. Those two Democrats, Senator Joe Manchin of
West Virginia and Jim Webb of Virginia, had voted for the original
amendment when it was approved by committee in May.
--Brian Scheid, brian_scheid@platts.com --Edited by Jason Lindquist,
jason_lindquist@platts.com
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