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                  ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 4010

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State of Washington              52nd Legislature             1991 Regular Session

By House Committee on Energy & Utilities (originally sponsored by Representatives R. Fisher, Schmidt, Cooper, Wilson, R. Meyers, Prentice, Wood, Heavey, Chandler, R. Johnson, Forner, P. Johnson, Mitchell, Brough, Haugen, Zellinsky, Jones, Kremen, Cantwell, Phillips, Nealey, Paris, Bray, Rayburn, Nelson and Anderson).Read first time March 6, 1991.  Asking Congress to develop a national energy policy.

     TO THE HONORABLE GEORGE BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED:

     We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

     WHEREAS, The nation's economic system, the trade deficit, our national security, and American jobs are tied closely to adequate and stable supplies of energy; and

     WHEREAS, Half of the country's energy use today is oil; and

     WHEREAS, Imports of foreign oil are now increasing past the fifty percent level, while domestic production continues to decline; and

     WHEREAS, Repeated events in the Middle East point up the United States' vulnerability to, and the potential for, oil supply disruptions due to the unstable nature of this volatile region; and

     WHEREAS, There is an urgent national need to pursue all practicable measures to offset use of imported oil; and

     WHEREAS, Many practicable alternatives to foreign oil are available, including more efficient use of all forms of energy, ethanol and other alternative vehicle fuels, enhanced production of domestic oil and natural gas, nuclear energy, the sun, the wind, and geothermal energy, and environmentally better use of domestic coal; and

     WHEREAS, The least cost, most available, and most environmentally benign alternative is increased investment in energy efficiency; and

     WHEREAS, A clear and well-articulated national energy policy can give strong and unequivocal national direction toward a sound energy future;

     NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that Congress quickly enact a national energy strategy and implementing measures that will most effectively lead to reduced dependence on foreign oil.

     BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable George Bush, President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and to each member of Congress from the State of Washington.