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 In
1961, President John F. Kennedy addressed the nation and laid out a bold
challenge to put a man on the moon and return him safely to Earth – and
to do it in less than 10 years. “Unreasonable” Americans called it, and
“absurd.” To put a man where no human had stepped before, using
technology that was not developed, and to do it in less than ten years
was impossible. But what we saw come out of that decade was a nation
that continued to defy the odds and achieve the seemingly impossible,
who rose to the challenge once again and changed the course of history.
I still remember listening to the radio in my car as a young teenager
when on July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong opened the door of Apollo 11 and
set his foot where no man in history had stepped before. In that one
step, he embodied the very essence of America –combining dreams with
hard work and dedication to achieve the seemingly impossible.
With gas prices soaring and no end in sight, I have thought a lot about
that lunar challenge in relation to the way we are approaching our
energy problem here in the United States. We hear a lot of rhetoric, but
as families and individuals across the nation can attest, rhetoric does
not offer valid hope for a solution to a problem that is having such a
personal impact on Americans.
There are only really three ways that we can change the price at the
pump. 1) We increase our oil supply; 2) We decrease our oil usage
through conservation; or 3) We develop alternative fuels to replace oil.
Perhaps the most frustrating thing to Americans about these three
options is that consumers really only have control over option number
two – conserving. While this is a fine option and it is readily
available right now, consumers lack control over the other two major
options that have the most direct impact on the price of gas.
The federal government is the only entity that can do anything about
options one or three. I support increasing our supply through drilling
for domestic oil, offshore drilling, and increasing refinery capacity.
Just in the past two years, I have voted to increase supply 14 times.
Unfortunately, the current Congressional leadership has repeatedly voted
against increasing supply, resulting in the $4-per-gallon price you see
at the pump today.
The third option is to increase our use of alternative energy, which
requires a major investment in research and development. America is
lacking direction in this area, but it holds the most promise for our
future energy security as a nation. Our American characteristics of
imagination and hard work are still there. We just need a unified,
national challenge and a goal to work toward to get there.
Just this week I introduced a bold initiative that will undoubtedly
challenge the United States in a significant way. If the goals of this
initiative are met, it will get at the very core of our energy problem
and we will be an energy independent nation. The “New Manhattan Project
for Energy Independence” challenges the United States to achieve 50%
energy independence in ten years and 100% energy independence in 20
years. To achieve this goal, the New Manhattan Project will bring
together the best and brightest scientists in our nation in a
competitive format to effectively research one of seven established
energy goals and will award significant prizes to any group, school,
team, or company who reaches the goal. Any American citizen can
participate, and the first person to meet the goals as determined by a
New Manhattan Project commission of scientists will receive the
respective prize. These goals are not easy. The processes to reach them
are not simple. And many Americans may think them impossible. But if we
do reach them, we will move closer to energy independence and begin a
new way of life in the United States.
Why the “New Manhattan Project”? First, because it will inspire a new
generation of math, science, and engineering students, scientists, and
researchers to overcome a common national challenge. Second, because it
was the original Manhattan Project in the midst of World War II that
brought together the best scientists and researchers to solve one of the
most challenging scientific missions to face our nation – and by pure
hard work and dedication to a unified mission, they succeeded. We can do
it again.
Some may call it “unreasonable” and “absurd.” Some may say the task is
too great and find themselves more comfortable pointing fingers and
simply complaining. But I believe in the greatness of America and the
American people, and I know that greatness finds its birth in our values
and our refusal to quit. Perhaps the New Manhattan Project will write a
new page in our history books reflecting once again that the size of our
accomplishments is only limited by the size of our doors.
Protect Your Property
Major disasters can occur at anytime and sometimes without any warning.
Whether it be an earthquake, fire, flood, or thunderstorm, you and your
family, along with your home and property can be in danger. To protect
yourself and your property, follow these tips from the Federal Emergency
Management Agency and the American Red Cross on how to prepare and care
for yourself during emergencies.
Get Informed
You can obtain hazard information that is specific for where you live.
You should be aware of community, school and workforce plans for
warnings and evacuation.
Be Prepared
Install smoke detectors to warn of an apartment or home fire. Have your
house inspected by a building inspector or architect to find out what
structural improvements could prevent or reduce major damage from
disasters. Contact your local fire department to have them evaluate your
property and make suggestions on how to improve safety. Also, have the
local utility come to your location and show you how and where to shut
off gas lines or how to elevate utilities to get them above a possible
flood.
Determine your Risk
It is important to fully understand your home and property’s risk to
flood and other natural disasters. Identify possible hazards and
emergencies in your area. Check out flood maps to see if your property
is at risk.
Make Sure Your Property is Fully
Covered
It is important to know what coverage you may need and what coverage is
available to protect your property against all natural hazards. Find out
what is the standard home owners insurance policy and if there are
different types of policies and which policy is best for you and your
home. Make sure you know exactly what disasters are covered and which
ones aren’t.
Buy Flood Insurance
Flood insurance is the best protection that home and business owners
have against the devastating financial losses that floods cause.
Prepare Financially for Disasters
Set aside money in an emergency fund. Keep your emergency funds in a
safe, easily accessible account, such as a passbook savings account or a
money market account. Keep all of your important financial and family
documents in a safe place; you'll need accessible records for tax and
insurance purposes.
Obtain
“How-to” Guides
If you aren’t sure whether your business is at risk from disasters
caused by natural hazards, check with your local building official, city
engineer, or planning and zoning administrator. They can tell you
whether you are in an area where hurricanes, floods, earthquakes,
wildfires, or tornadoes are likely to occur. Also, they usually can tell
you how to protect yourself, your house, business and property from the
different hazards.
For more information on protecting your property, visit:
The Disaster Services page on the American Red Cross Web site at:
http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/0,1082,0_605_,00.html#keepingcash.
Visit the Federal Emergency Management Agency Web site at
http://www.fema.gov/index.shtm.
The Insurance Information Institute Web site at:
http://www.iii.org/.
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