WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) on Wednesday applauded passage of an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) he co-sponsored to protect the U.S. military’s ability to continue to invest in alternative fuels to reduce costs and protect the lives of service members. Oil dependence costs the Department of Defense $20 billion a year, along with the lives of thousands of troops and contractors who have been killed guarding fuel convoys in Iraq and Afghanistan. Though the Pentagon had made integration of alternative fuels a priority, some Senate Republicans attempted to prevent their utilization in the text of the NDAA legislation.

The amendment, which removed the language preventing the purchase of alternative fuels, passed by a vote of 62-37 and will become a part of the final NDAA to be voted on by the Senate.

“The Department of Defense has asked for and deserves the flexibility and freedom to invest in alternative sources of energy that will save the American people billions of dollars over the long term,” Senator Coons said. “Not only does it save money, it will save lives by reducing the need for reliance on fuel convoys. New fuel technologies developed by the military can also have transformative positive effects for the private sector and society at large. Some of our most important innovations have their roots in military research, and putting the brakes on the Defense Department’s alternative energy work would hold back progress for everyone.”

The amendment, authored by Senator Mark Udall (D-Colo.) and co-sponsored by Senator Coons, was written to override a previous amendment to the NDAA that would have severely restricted the military’s ability to improve combat capability and readiness by securing access to reliable, affordable energy sources. Senator Coons and his colleagues expressed their strong opposition to the previous amendment in a letter earlier this month. Click here to download that letter: http://bit.ly/V3ga5L.

As the single largest oil consumer in the world, it is vital for the U.S. military to diversify fuel sources to protect against supply disruptions and price increases. For every 25 cent increase in the cost of a gallon of oil, U.S. taxpayers pay an additional $1 billion in fuel costs to keep our military running.  

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