US National Security Policies and Energy NS4053 Week 10.2.

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&current_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.