The Hill News

In the midst of today’s intense discussions about government spending, one reality remains unchanged -- the massive energy demands on our military and defense infrastructure. In an era of constrained national resources and Middle East tensions, these demands have raised a clear national security risk. It’s time to consider how true American energy independence will strengthen our fighting forces and protect our security.

The U.S. Department of Defense is the single largest consumer of energy on the planet. In fact, DOD uses roughly 70 percent of the federal government’s energy needs, costing over $13 billion. Tremendous costs are incurred transporting fuel to protect our troops in the line of duty. Roughly 70 percent of the tonnage shipped by the U.S. Army for battlefield use is fuel. The 24-7 defense needs of our nation rely on defense installations receiving uninterrupted, unthreatened supplies of electricity.

Meanwhile, many of our fossil fu! els needed often come regions of the world that are unfriendly to American interests. Other fast-growing nations are developing a need for energy and using the same natural resources the U.S. relies on. We need to innovate how we provide our forces with the energy they needed protect us.

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