Dear IndianaDG Readers:

 This message and request comes from our friend Charles 'Chuck' Deppert, Indiana Representative, The Pew Charitable Trusts. Contact Chuck at ccdeppert@sbcglobal.net or 317-594-1776 office or 317-850-7197 mobile.

Dear Friend:

Can you call both Indiana Senators as they are debating this issue and voting on it in the next few days?

 Please drop me an email and tell me who you talked to and the reaction if any you received.  This is a critical issue that among other things SAVE LIVES of our troops. Both Senators are on the fence on this issue.

Here are your talking points;

Senator Lugar  (202) 224-4814

Senator Coats  (202) 224-5623

·         I am calling about the upcoming Senate debate on the annual Defense Authorization bill (S. 3254).

·         As a veteran of the U.S. military or a concerned citizen, I am urging the Senator to support an expected amendment to protect the DoD's important work to increase the nation's energy security by reducing the military's dependence on foreign oil.

·         The amendment would allow the DOD to continue its work with the private sector to develop a cost competitive commercial supply of advanced biofuels – work that must be done to eventually assure the DOD can rely on U.S. produced sources for its energy needs.

·         The DOD spends more than $11 billion each year on oil.  For every $10 increase in price of a barrel, that costs the DOD another $1.4 billion.  For the airlines, fuel is the largest part of their annual budgets.

·         The military's veterans and leaders strongly support this important effort, along with the Farm Bureau, the Airlines and the Advanced Biofuels industries.   

·         Again, this funding would serve as a catalyst to the development of a commercial supply of domestic alternative fuels.  It would help create new American jobs and reduce our nation's dependence on foreign oil and a volatile global oil market.

 Chuck

 Background/Talking Points for FY 2013 Senate Defense Authorization Debate on the MOU Advanced Biofuels Funding Request

  SUMMARY:

The Department of Defense (DOD), US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of Energy (DOE) last year signed an agreement, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), to collaborate with the private sector to develop a cost-competitive commercial supply of advanced biofuels for the DOD and airlines industry to reduce their and the nation's dependence on costly foreign oil.

The current challenge with using advanced biofuels is that it is not yet produced in large supply even though the DOD and airlines have had strong success in using the advanced biofuels as "drop-in" fuels in multiple pilot projects in recent years.

  The DOD has asked Congress to fund $70 million of this public-private initiative that will serve as the seed money to build or retrofit refineries to produce the domestic advanced biofuel.  $40 million has been requested by the Department of Energy.  In order for the MOU to work, the private sector must at least match the government's investment.  

 STATUS AND WHAT'S NEEDED:

         The Committee-passed annual Defense Authorization bill contains harmful amendments that would block these efforts to develop a commercial supply of cost-competitive advanced biofuels.

         The full Senate is expected to take up the Defense Authorization bill (S.3254) soon after Thanksgiving.  An amendment is expected to be offered to assure the DOD can continue its work on advanced biofuels.

         What You Can Do:  Contact Senate offices to urge Senators to support the amendment and this effort for the U.S. military to become less dependent on foreign oil and strengthen the nation's energy security.