[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 91 (Wednesday, June 4, 2008)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages E1132-E1133] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] PERSONAL EXPLANATION ______ HON. MARK UDALL of colorado in the house of representatives Wednesday, June 4, 2008 Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Madam Speaker, I was unable to be present for votes during the late afternoon and evening of May 22, 2008. For the information of our colleagues and my constituents, below is how I would have voted on the following votes I missed that day. On rollcall 355, on the Akin amendment to H.R. 5658, I would have voted ``no.'' On rollcall 356, on the Franks amendment to H.R. 5658, I would have voted ``no.'' On rollcall 357, on the Tierney amendment to H.R. 5658, I would have voted ``no.'' On rollcall 358, on the Pearce amendment to H.R. 5658, I would have voted ``no.'' On rollcall 359, on the Lee amendment to H.R. 5658, I would have voted ``yes.'' On rollcall 360, on the Braley amendment to H.R. 5658, I would have voted ``yes.'' On rollcall 361, on the Price amendment to H.R. 5658, I would have voted ``yes.'' On rollcall 362, on the Holt amendment to H.R. 5658, I would have voted ``yes.'' On rollcall 363, on the McGovern amendment to H.R. 5658, I would have voted ``yes.'' On rollcall 364, on the Motion to Recommit with instructions the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 (H.R. 5658), I would have voted ``no.'' I would have done so because the Motion to Recommit--as written-- would have effectively killed the bill by sending it back to Committee. I also objected to what the Motion attempted to do. It would have repealed Section 526 of the Energy Independence and Security Act, which ensures that federal agencies do not procure or promote alternative fuels that emit, on a lifecycle basis, more greenhouse gas emissions than equivalent conventional fuels produced from conventional petroleum sources. This provision relates primarily to efforts of the Department of Defense to obtain half of its domestically used fuel from domestic synthetic sources by 2016. Specifically, the Air Force is pursuing `coal-to-liquid' fuel (CTL). According to both the EPA and DOE, liquid coal produces double the global warming emissions compared to conventional gasoline. An amendment adopted on the floor clarified Section 526 to ensure that federal agencies could procure conventional fuels that contain incidental amounts of unconventional fuels. With the passage of this amendment, it is my belief that there is no reason to repeal Section 526, since the Department of Defense has said that it intends to pursue CTL with carbon capture and sequestration. In addition, the Defense Science Board Task Force on Energy recommended that if DOD decides to provide financial backing to synthetic fuel production plants, it should avoid investing in processes that exceed the carbon footprint of petroleum. On rollcall 365, on Passage of the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for [[Page E1133]] Fiscal Year 2009 (H.R. 5658), I would have voted ``yes.'' On rollcall 366, on the Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree, as Amended, to H. Res. 986, a resolution recognizing the courage and sacrifice of those members of the United States Armed Forces who were held as prisoners of war during the Vietnam conflict and calling for a full accounting of the 1,729 members of the Armed Forces who remain unaccounted for from the Vietnam conflict, I would have voted ``yes.'' The resolution recognizes the 35th anniversary of ``Operation Homecoming,'' when the first wave of the longest-held POWs from Vietnam left that country to return to the United States. We honor those POWs, but we also honor those brave heroes who fought and died for our country but never returned home. ____________________