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Udall Supports Iraq-Afghanistan Spending Bill To Take America In A New Direction
I voted for the Iraq supplemental spending bill because it will make sure that America's soldiers get the equipment and resources they need and the top-quality health care they may require when they come home. This bill holds the president and the Iraqi government accountable to the benchmarks they have set for themselves and it is an important step toward what I think must be our goal - a responsible end to the war in Iraq, based on a strategy of phased withdrawal, accelerated diplomacy and troop redeployment that avoids the crossfire of civil war.
The bill includes a goal of March 2008 for completing the redeployment of U.S. combat troops, and allows enough troops to remain to protect U.S. military and civilians in Iraq, conduct counterterrorism operations, and train Iraqi soldiers.
I remain convinced that we should steer clear of arbitrary public deadlines for military actions and focus instead on realistic diplomatic and political goals. Our military needs flexibility to be able to link movements of U.S. troops to the realities of the situation on the ground, and successful diplomacy requires this flexibility as well.
We are four years into a war the president told us would be short and decisive. The Bush administration's misjudgments, lack of planning and poor leadership have made a bad situation worse - and the "surge" is no substitute for what is needed, which is a strategy for containing civil war and a wider regional war.
I opposed giving the president the authority to wage war against Iraq, and whatever may be said about the wisdom of invading Iraq, the fact is that we are still deeply engaged there. So long as our troops are in the field, we must provide them what they need. And we must extricate them from this emerging civil war.
We need to be scaling back our military mission in Iraq. We need to make the U.S. military footprint lighter to salvage a critical measure of security and stability in a region of the world that we can ill afford to abandon.
The president's decision to take the nation to war has made our country less safe. We need to change course and chart a path that enhances our national security and sets the right priorities for the war on terrorism and struggle against extremists.
Statement On Virginia Tech Shootings
As a father, my heart goes out to the families and students who were affected by the unconscionable killings at Virginia Tech. This is a terrible tragedy and it's heartbreaking. We in Colorado know what it's like to go through an experience of this magnitude and I'm sure everyone in our state is saying a prayer for the victims' families.
I don't believe more gun control laws would stop another troubled, disturbed person from killing on this massive level. Someone who is this mixed up and who is willing to kill himself as well is going to find a way to commit violence, and that kind of mental disturbance is what we should try to understand and address.
We should enforce the gun laws that are currently on the books, but we should also look into campus safety and communications systems, increased funding for school counseling, making mental health services more accessible and doing what we can to try to understand why someone would commit such a horrendous crime. If all that comes of this incident is a discussion about guns, then I think we've missed an important opportunity to address other issues that played a role in this crime.
Udall Bill Expands, Enhances R&D To Capture CO2 Emissions Tied To Climate Change
The climate is changing and we as a society must begin addressing these changes before the economic and environmental consequences devastate our planet. And that will involve decreasing the amount of carbon dioxide, a known greenhouse gas, in the atmosphere.
We cannot end our dependence on fossil fuels overnight. For example, coal is the most abundant energy source in the United States and one of the cheapest energy resources. Colorado is ranked sixth in coal production in the U.S. In Colorado, coal provides more than 70 percent of our electricity and employs more than 2,000 people.
Coal is a critical component of our economy and our energy supply, but unfortunately coal is also a major contributor to climate change. We must find a way to maintain our energy production while decreasing our carbon emissions.
I have introduced the Department of Energy Carbon Capture and Storage Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 2007. This bill will expand and enhance the Department of Energy's carbon capture research and development program to spur the creation of economically feasible and environmentally sound carbon sequestration technology. It is companion legislation to a bill introduced in the Senate by Senator Bingaman, Chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
Carbon sequestration refers to taking carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and storing it so that the gas does not re-enter the atmosphere. Right now, companies and governments around the world are enhancing natural carbon storage sources by planting trees and advocating no-till agriculture, among many other activities. But we are still not even close to slowing the increase in greenhouse gases in our atmosphere.
Eventually, technology may allow us to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and funnel it underground in long-term, airtight storage areas. But there are many obstacles to the development of technologies and methods that can significantly decrease CO2 levels in our atmosphere. For example, we still don't know enough about the long-term stability, safety, and reliability of aquifers, coal seams, and other geological formations for CO2 storage. Nor are we familiar with the technologies to accomplish this on the scale needed to truly decrease global carbon levels.
My legislation will build upon DOE's current carbon capture and storage program created in the Energy Policy Act of 2005. It will improve DOE's regional carbon sequestration partnerships and create seven test projects across the country to learn more about the economics and design of carbon capture and storage technology. It will also help ensure that DOE has the necessary funds to conduct this cutting-edge research.
Although it is already too late to stop the climate from changing, carbon capture and storage - in conjunction with smart energy policies - can help minimize the impact of climate change on future generations.
We must not view taking action against global warming as bringing doom and gloom to industry. Making the right choices about how to address climate change can lead to new technological innovations, a boom in American jobs, and a strengthened economy. But we must begin to make these choices now by investing in the research and development of carbon capture and storage technologies that can address the climate change challenge.
Udall Nominee Named SBA Small Business Person Of 2007
The U.S. Small Business Administration has named Susan Matthews Brown, President of The Boppy Company in Golden, Colo., as the SBA Small Business Person of 2007. I nominated Ms. Brown for the award because of her remarkable journey of turning a struggling company into a thriving Colorado business that has the #1 baby product in America.
The history of The Boppy Company is an inspiring success story, and learning about the details firsthand makes you a believer; for behind the products you see on the shelf lies the story of a courageous entrepreneur who never gave up.
Founded in 1990, The Boppy Company manufactures the Boppy Nursing and Infant Support Pillow. The ergonomically designed device allows parents to place an infant in the correct feeding position to make it easier and more comfortable for both parent and child. Also, the pillow provides support for infants that are learning to sit up and often is a child's comfortable resting spot as they begin to crawl and walk. The company once faced financial ruin, but with the help of an SBA microloan, Ms. Brown was able to turn the company around and make the Boppy Nursing and Infant Support Pillow a must-have item for new parents and the #1 baby product in America for five consecutive years and the most popular baby shower gift in the nation. Retail sales for the The Boppy Company for 2006 were $44 million. The company has twenty-three employees.
I was proud to nominate Susan Matthews Brown as the SBA Small Business Person of 2007 and wish her much success in the future.
Congressman Mark Udall
Serving Colorado's Front Range and Western Slope
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