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US National Security Policies and Energy
NS4053Week 10.2
Agenda
• Review US National Security Strategy documents 1990-2012 for discussions of energy security.
• Review US Energy Security Strategy documents (2001 and 2011).
• Review role of Congress in energy security policy.
NSS 1990 on energy
• Ensure access to Mid East oil.• Prevent proliferation of nuclear technologies
useful for weapons programs.• Maintain strategic petroleum reserve.• Promote diversification of energy supply.• Promote conservation.
NSS 1998 on energy
• Promote conservation and efficiency.• Diversify energy sources by development of oil
resources in Caspian basin.– Work to improve pipeline network in Central Asia.
• Protect access to existing overseas sources of oil, especially in Mid East.
NSS 2002 on energy
• Voluntary cuts by industry in greenhouse gases and ‘cap and trade’.
• Improved measurements on emissions.• Promote clean technology (cleaner coal,
nuclear, and renewables).• Increase federal R&D.• Assist developing countries to develop
efficient clean energy.
NSS 2006 on energy
• Enhance energy security and clean development.
• Open, integrate and diversify energy markets.• Reduce reliance on foreign energy sources.• Concern over China acting as if it can ‘lock-up’
energy sources around the world.
NSS 2010 on energy
• “We must transform the way that we use energy—diversifying supplies, investing in innovation, and deploying clean energy technologies. By doing so, we will enhance energy security, create jobs, and fight climate change. “ NSS 2010
– Promote safe nuclear energy.– Work to increase energy security by cooperating with
international partners.
US Energy Security Strategy (2001)
• Mitigating high energy prices.• Protecting health and environment.• Increasing energy conservation and efficiency.• Increasing domestic energy supplies.• Increasing supply of renewable and alternative
energy.• Invest in energy infrastructure.• Improve international alliances and commercial
relations to facilitate energy trade.
US Energy Security Strategy (2011)
• Expand energy production in U.S.• Encourage cleaner safer energy production
abroad.• Promote alternative energy choices for
consumer market.• Improve domestic energy efficiency.• Promote clean energy innovation.• Create markets for energy innovation.
Expand safe energy production in U.S.
• Safety after BP oil spill in Gulf of Mexico.• Efficiency and integrity of oversight by splitting
up Minerals Management Service.• Alter lease terms to reward rapid
development (Texas model).• Offshore development for oil and wind power.• Address public concerns about fracking.
Promote energy production abroad
• Push to reduce subsidies for energy in other countries.
• Expand natural gas.• Reduce methane production.• Increase oil production.• Encourage sustainable biofuels.• Transition to electric vehicles.• Promote energy efficiency and alternative
energy.
Promote alternative energy for consumers
• Increase fuel economy standards.• Encourage use of biofuels.• Public transit investments.• Infrastructure investments.• Electric vehicles.• Alternative transportation.
Improve domestic energy efficiency
• Grants, rebates, tax credits for retrofitting or using energy efficient building materials.
• Training and education.• More information, more R&D.• Improved building codes.
Alternative energy development
• Offshore wind, nuclear, clean coal, solar, etc.• Modernize energy grid.• Tax credits for clean energy.• Use federal lands for clean energy project
sites.
Use federal government spending to spur innovation and create markets
• Federal R&D spending.• Federal vehicle fleet: hybrid and natural gas
vehicles.• Federal buildings: improve energy efficiency
through technology and siting.• Federal lands: develop utility-scale alternative
energy projects.
Defense Strategy
• Defense Strategic Guidance 2012: – no mention of energy security (or even energy.)
• Defense Operational Energy Strategy 2011:– “More fight, less fuel”: reduce consumption– “More options, less risk”: diversify sources– “More capability, less cost”: incorporate energy
security into future planning:– Goals: save lives, lighten logistic load, diversify
sources, acquire better information on usage, more military output for given energy input.
Enacting national security strategies
• Role of National Security Council– Principals Committee– Deputies Committee– Interagency Policy Committees
• Role of Congress:– “legislative
Darwinism”
• 1. Bill introduction• 2. Referral to committee(s)• 3. Committee hearings• 4. Committee mark-up• 5. Committee report• 6. Scheduling legislation• 7. House: special rules, suspension of
the rules, or privileged matter• 8. Senate: unanimous consent
agreements or motions to proceed• 9. Floor debate• 10. Floor amendment• 11. Vote on final passage• 12. Reconciling differences between
the house and senate• 13. Amendments between the
houses, or• 14. Conference committee
negotiations
• 15. Floor debate on conference report
• 16. Floor vote on conference report• 17. Conference version presented to
the president• 18. President signs into law or allows
bill to become law without his signature
• 19. President vetoes bill• 20. First chamber vote on overriding
veto• 21. Second chamber vote on
overriding veto• 22. Bill becomes law if 2/3 vote to
override is achieved in both chambers
• 23. Bill fails to become law if one chamber fails to override
Energy Legislation: 212th Congress
• Referred to committee: 239• Reported by committee: 36• Passed House: 8• Passed Senate: 3• Signed by the President: 1– Hoover Power Allocation Act of 2011.
Energy Legislation: 211th Congress
• Referred to committee: 201• Reported by committee: 23• Passed House: 15• Passed both houses: 2• Signed by President: 2– Exclude safety, security and surveillance alarm
power supplies from energy efficiency standards.– Extend the deadline to commence construction of
hydroelectric projects.
To be fair to 112th Congress
• Bills signed by President containing some reference to:– Alternative/renewables: 9– Coal: 2– Electric power: 5– Assistance to poor/seniors: 3– Energy conservation and efficiency: 7
• Bills are mostly:– Consolidated appropriations acts– DoD appropriations or authorization acts– http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/browse?
status=28,29#text=energy¤t_status=28
Final thoughts
• National strategy documents are ultimately political documents.
• National strategy documents reflect a time and place.– Short-term pressures shape long-term objectives.
• Translating strategy into programs and capabilities is unpredictable.– Interagency process coordination shapes product for good
and ill.– If it requires authorization and appropriation by Congress,
record of success is very mixed.