There are no two issues more current and more salient than our energy situation and our national security. Furthermore, there are few other issues as intertwined and interconnected as energy and national security. Unfortunately, their relationship has not been examined as much as it should during our current debates on gas prices and national security. This assessment will help lawmakers better understand the effect that rising energy prices have on our national security.

H.R. 6545 requires that the Director of National Intelligence submit to Congress an assessment on the relationship between national security issues and rising energy costs by January 1, 2009. Specifically, the assessment will address the:

• Short-term and long-term outlook for prices, supply, and demand for key forms of energy including crude oil, natural gas, and alternative fuels.
• Plans and intentions of key energy-producing and exporting nations with respect to energy production and supply.
• National security implications of rapidly escalating energy costs.
• National security implications of potential use of energy resources as leverage against the United States by Venezuela, Iran, or other potential adversaries as a result of increased energy prices.
• National security implications of increases in funding to current or potential adversaries of the United States as a result of increased energy prices.
• Effect that increased energy prices will have on financial support for terrorist organizations.
• National security implications of extreme fluctuations in energy prices.
• National security implications of continued dependence on international energy supplies.

In addition to giving lawmakers a better understanding of the relationship between energy and national security, the assessment will also give us a realistic of estimate of the future supply of foreign energy. By passing this legislation, we are giving lawmakers a holistic view of our nation’s energy situation as we move forward with important legislation.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 23rd, 2008 at 9:40 am and is filed under Politics, Energy/Environment .