mr. chairman , i yield myself such time as i may consume . 
the over-reliance of the united states on imported petroleum creates a major strategic vulnerability for our nation , with nearly half the energy supply of our country now imported , and that reliance grows every day . 
my amendment has a goal of taking a small step toward energy independence in the following way : we have something called a strategic petroleum reserve managed by the department of the interior , which has in that reserve about 700 million barrels of oil , allowing us to maintain a temporary shield from increased costs on oil . 
the purpose of my amendment only allows , it does not require , the secretary of energy the discretion of including ethanol , biodiesel , and other alternative fuels in the strategic fuel reserve . 
so it takes the word `` petroleum '' out , although petroleum will remain the major fuel ; but it offers some encouragement , albeit mild , to try to get us to think differently about a new future for our country . 
every one of us has that responsibility , including the secretaries of the interior and energy . 
this amendment is neutral . 
if the secretary decided to secure alternative fuels , it would be paid for by the exchange or sale of crude oil from the existing reserve . 
ethanol and other bio-based fuels are two of the ways in which america can truly become more self-sufficient in fuel production and usage . 
this chart shows , just over the last 20 years or so , our petroleum consumption and how much more of it is imported , to now well over half . 
it is projected in another 15 years our imported petroleum will rise to 75 percent . 
by 2050 , most easily drawn-down reserves in the world will have been drawn down , not just by our country but by nations like china , for example , which are using more and more petroleum every year . 
we simply can not live in the 20th century any more . 
it is now the 21st century . 
if we look where we are importing our crude reserves , they are coming largely from the middle east , followed by mexico , venezuela , nigeria , many places that have difficulties politically . 
increasing use of renewable fuels will result in significant economic benefits to our nation as well . 
for example , biodiesel production is dramatically increasing , going from about 5 million gallons in 2001 to five times that much this past 2003 . 
and congress expanded the existing reserve in 2000 to include the northeast home heating oil reserve . 
there is absolutely no reason that biodiesel can not ultimately become part of that reserve and help us to transition off our increasing reliance on petroleum . 
the use of biofuels makes environmental sense , allowing us to better preserve our natural environment . 
biodiesel , for example , contains no sulfur , or aromatics associated with air pollution , and the use of something like biodiesel provides a 78.5 percent reduction in co 2 emissions when compared to petroleum diesel . 
currently the spr , the reserve , contains a number of domestic and foreign crude oils , and those fuels are stored separately . 
adding additional storage capacity for other fuels could be planned very easily by the secretary of energy and the secretary of the interior . 
the national farmers union , for example , is supporting this effort . 
people across this country really know america has to change . 
this is one small baby step . 
it is just encouraging language . 
it asks that those responsible for the current strategic reserve think more creatively , take the time to look at these alternative fuels , and help put america on a more energy-independent course . 
without question , the farmers across this country need new value added ; and with the price of oil skyrocketing , and it really will not go down , it has not gone down in the last 30 years if you look at the progression of oil pricing in the spot markets , for example . 
and now these fuels are competitive . 
there are many states taking the lead . 
take minnesota , take iowa , take nebraska , take the dakotas . 
there are many places that have seen the future and are developing it . 
i think we here in congress should respond to that inventiveness and that desire of the american people to invent their way to a new fuel future . 
and , in fact , when you come to my part of the country and you look across the fields , you can see part of america 's future in the fields of the future , and fuels of the future that will be produced on them and are being produced on them more and more every day . 
why should the departments of energy and the interior not help us to move america forward . 
i would ask for favorable consideration of this amendment . 
and i thank the gentleman from texas ( mr. barton ) xz4000180 for allowing the amendment and the rules committee for granting it . 
