The Senate-passed Energy Policy Act of 2002 would not enhancesupplies of energy. What it would do, however, is harm the U.S.economy and raise the cost of energy for consumers. It isbetter to have no energy bill than to be burdened with one thatsuppresses vital energy supplies.
The Medicare conference agreement fails the two criticalrequirements of a responsible drug benefit program for the nation'sseniors. The original idea underlying this legislation wasnever just about adding drug coverage to Medicare. It wasabout doing so in a way that would not lead to huge additionalliabilities to future generations, and in a way that would reformthe program so that it could respond to the changing needs of theelderly and disabled. But the agreement will not leadto that.
In the aftermath of the worst power outage in the nation's history,Congress is rushing to get a comprehensive energy bill to thePresident for his signature. But the recent blackout does notnegate the need for a responsible plan that enhances domesticenergy resources, corrects the imbalance between supply and demand,and ensures that families and businesses have abundant, affordable,and reliable energy for the future.
America's critical infrastructure is increasingly vulnerable to thethreat of precise, airborne missile attack. Directed-energy weapons(DEWs) can help protect against these threats. Congress and theBush Administration should fully fund DEW technology and shouldencourage departments developing such technology to share theirefforts with each other and with U.S. allies.
The debate over missile defense has shifted from whether missiledefense should be pursued as a matter of principle to whetherdeploying such a defense will be effective in practice. Victory inthe debate over the principle of fielding a missile defense must befollowed by victory in the debate over fielding a truly effectivedefense for the American people.