Act For Chemistry Blog

Media, small businesses invited to ACS Webinar on impact of chemical industry trends on jobs

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:28:53 PST

News media and scientists interested in finance, entrepreneurships and the chemical sciences are invited to join a free American Chemical Society (ACS) Small & Medium Business Webinar for an opportunity to learn about beginning and growing a business in these difficult economic times.

The webinar will focus on how to protect intellectual assets when both time and money are at a premium, and will discuss early stage agreements that are critical to protecting company knowledge and goodwill.

Scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 19, 2 - 3 p.m. Eastern Time, the webinar will feature Gianna Arnold, principal at Miles & Stockbridge P.C. The webinar's topic is "Navigating the IP landscape: Legal issues entrepreneurs and small business owners need to know."

As a scientist and a law professional, Arnold focuses her legal expertise on helping scientists, entrepreneurs and small/medium business executives learn about the policies, procedures and corresponding agreements needed to protect the intellectual assets of start-up, early stage and mid-sized companies

The ACS Small & Medium Business Webinar Series is scheduled monthly this year to address current topics of interest to entrepreneurs and small- to medium-sized businesses in the chemical/biopharma enterprise. There will be a 30-minute presentation by Arnold followed by a 25-minute Q & A session.

News media and scientists can tune into the conference without charge, but must register in advance.

BPA in canned food...

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:41:44 PST

Last week Consumer Reports magazine made headlines with findings of BPA in many canned food products -'smoking gun' evidence that the estrogen-mimicking compound is in our food supply and (according to Consumer Reports) at levels shown by some studies to pose harm.

This report, from an organization that enjoys substantial public familiarity & trust, is heightening concerns about BPA.
But the official jury is still out.
The FDA, after having a controversial draft assessment rejected last year, is expected to release its conclusions on the safety of BPA in food-contact applications by the end of the month. NIH has also recently launched a $30 million effort to study the health effects of BPA.

Meanwhile, the yes/no fight continues:
An op-ed in The Globe and Mail on Monday criticized BPA-alarmists, saying that the governments of many countries have found no safety concerns with the substance. Indeed, at the end of October, a study by the EPA found no reproductive problems for female rats after low-dose exposure to BPA in utero. However, also in October, a study linked in utero BPA exposure to aggressive behavior in (human) girls. And a study was recently released linking sexual problems in Chinese male factory workers to very high levels of BPA exposure.

I am not a toxicologist, but what struck me about these recent findings is the apparent lack of consistency for some basic elements of the studies. The EPA rat study, referred to as 'low-dose' was "dosage levels approximately 40 to 4,000 times above estimated median human consumption" while the Chinese male factory workers were said to have a 'high dose': "levels about 50 times higher than those faced by typical American men." Uh...?
Given that a major part of the concern here involves evidence of non-linear (possibly U-shaped) dose-response curves for BPA, it'd be nice if we could at least decide on what constitutes a low or high dose.
...if nothing else, this could turn into a really excellent Ph.D. thesis on communicating of science to the public.

American Chemical Society, Royal Society of Chemistry agree to joint global sustainability efforts

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:58:51 PST

Two of the world's largest chemical societies today pledged to work cooperatively to contribute to global efforts aimed at developing sustainable energy, providing abundant food and clean water, and seeking to address other global challenges that threaten the sustainability of our planet.

The American Chemical Society (ACS) and the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) agreed to mutually use their resources to contribute to global efforts that seek out solutions for many of the emerging problems caused by unprecedented worldwide population growth and shrinking availability of the resources needed to sustain life as we know it.

"Today is a defining milestone in the history of our organizations," said Madeleine Jacobs, ACS Executive Director & CEO. "I'm convinced that both the members of the RSC and the ACS are uniquely positioned to contribute their knowledge, expertise and enthusiasm to solving these challenges. It is increasingly obvious to all of us that science is a global endeavor. It is, therefore, imperative that we transcend our local boundaries and collaborate more efficiently to maximize the limited resources at our disposal."

As part of the signed agreement, each Society will utilize its considerable scientific expertise - both as an organization as well as that of its diverse, active and talented members - to address some of the world's most challenging issues. They will also promote joint scientific seminars in the United States and United Kingdom, featuring key scientists and policymakers.

In addition, RSC and ACS will work together to develop a "primer" to help the general public better understand the basic chemistry underlying the global challenges confronting us and their possible solutions. The two organizations will also collaborate to train chemists to speak compellingly and convincingly, in non-technical terms, about our sustainability challenges.

"We take this remarkable step in the shared belief that ensuring sustainability is a critical challenge for the long-term survival and prosperity of Earth and its peoples," said Judith L. Benham, Chair of the ACS Board of the Directors. "We're motivated by the conviction that chemistry must play a significant role in providing worldwide solutions to these challenges."

This new collaborative alliance with the RSC is one of many international partnerships ACS has initiated in recent years with scientific organizations in Brazil, Japan, France and other countries worldwide.

"Many of the challenges that we face can not be solved by a single organization or by a single country," said RSC Chief Executive Richard Pike. "But, in fact, they demand the international collaboration that we're striving for and is recognized in this (new agreement)."

RSC President C. David Garner concurred, noting that this agreement should be viewed as a starting point for other possible collaborations. "We plan that this will be a hub to which other chemical societies worldwide will be linked," Garner said.

The American Chemical Society is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. With more than 154,000 members, ACS is the world's largest scientific society and a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

Panel Discussion & Senate Committee Schedule Nov 9th-10th

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:40:26 PST

Monday, November 09, 2009:

'Science and Society: Global Challenges' American Association for the Advancement of Science Panel Discussion

6 p.m. American Association for the Advancement of Science, Auditorium.

1200 New York Ave. N.W.

American Association for the Advancement of Science will hold a discussion series. Nov. 9 Topic: "Acid Bath: The Impact of Increased Carbon on the Oceans"

Contact: Benjamin Somers at 202-326-6414 bsomers@aaas.org

Note: RSVP online. http://cstsp.aaas.org/content.html?contentid=2272

Tuesday, November 10, 2009:

Climate Change Legislation and Jobs: Senate Finance Committee, Full Committee Hearing

10 a.m. 215 Dirksen Bldg.

Senate Finance Committee (Chairman Baucus, D-Mont.) will hold a hearing titled "Climate Change Legislation: Considerations for Future Jobs."

Contact: Russell W. Sullivan - Democratic Staff Director at 202-224-4515

Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Full Committee Hearing

10 a.m. 366 Dirksen Bldg.

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee (Chairman Bingaman, D-N.M.) will hold a hearing on policy options for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Contact: Robert M. Simon - Democratic Staff Director at 202-224-4971

Speakers:

Ray Kopp, senior fellow and director, Climate Policy Program, Resources for the Future
Ted Gayer, co-director, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution
David Hawkins, director, Climate Center, Natural Resources Defense Council
Jonathan Banks, coordinator, Climate Policy, Clean Air Task Force
Daniel Sarewitz, director, Consortium for Science, Policy and Outcomes, Arizona State University

Chemical Facility Anti-terrorism Act of 2009 (H.R. 2868)--Update

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:32:43 PST

The House is considering the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Act of 2009 (H.R. 2868) this week. The current regulations, set to expire soon, prohibit the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from requiring the use of inherently safer technologies. This replacement bill, H.R. 2868, would permanently extend and expand DHS oversight of chemical sites.

In addition, an amendment offered by Representatives Bill Foster (D-IL) Ben Luján (D-NM) (the Foster-Luján amendment) was recently approved. The amendment changes H.R. 2868 so that it now directs DHS to "establish, as appropriate, modified or separate standards, protocols, and procedures for security vulnerability assessments and site security plans for covered chemical facilities that are also academic laboratories." The ACS and its Act4chemistry Network worked over the past week to include this language in the final bill.

American Chemical Society careers teleconference features NSF chemistry director

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:36:09 PST

The American Chemical Society (ACS) invites news media covering the chemical sciences and related topics, as well as scientists, to join an ACS Careers Industry Forum teleconference on career advancement opportunities in today's global marketplace.

Scheduled for 2 - 3 p.m., Eastern Time, on Thursday, Nov. 12, the teleconference will feature Luis Echegoyen, Ph.D., Director of the Division of Chemistry at the National Science Foundation (NSF). The topic is "Chemistry Career Options -- Opportunities and Challenges for the Next Decade."

This program is designed to provide valuable employment information for scientists, engineers, R&D, specialists, executives, and business employees. It will focus on new growth areas in chemistry, what candidates will need beyond chemistry training and where to look for jobs.

Echegoyen came to the NSF from Clemson University, where he served as Chemistry Department Chair. He has also been a Professor at the University of Miami, University of Maryland, and the University of Puerto Rico, and has worked as a Chemist at Union Carbide Corporation.

The series of teleconferences is scheduled monthly (with the exception of December) through 2009. There will be a 30-minute discussion with Hunt followed by a 25-minute Q & A session.

Scientists can tune into the conference without charge, but must register in advance at the ACS Careers Web site, which also provides information about future forums.

ACS is Encouraging its Members to Support Science Education

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:57:00 PST

Today, the ACS Office Of Public Affairs sent a call to action to more than 18,000 members of the ACS' Act4chemistry Network. The call to action urges them to contact their U.S. senators regarding funding for the Department of Education's Math and Science Partnership (MSP) program.

MSP has been successful in helping teachers deepen content knowledge, gain inquiry experiences, strengthen pedagogical skills, and better evaluate student learning. MSP initiatives also foster professional learning communities and programs that link classroom teachers with researchers in STEM fields and in STEM pedagogy. This program is the only dedicated source of funding for teacher professional development in the STEM subjects at the Department of Education and must be an integral part of any plan to improve teacher quality and student performance.

If you wish to write your senator about this program go here.

EPA's Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program is underway

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:57:22 PST

After years of delay since it was first mandated by Congress in 1996, the EPA is moving forward with its Endocine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP) and issued the first test orders to industry yesterday.

The EDSP is designed to screen for endocrine-disrupting chemicals in two tiers. The first tier identifies chemicals that interact with the estrogen, androgen, or thyroid hormone systems, and the second tier will evaluate any flagged chemicals for hazard.

Environmentalists and public health advocates have criticized the EDSP for its long delay. Even as the program began it was challenged by Theo Colburn for focusing on only three endocrine systems, using high dosages on lab animals that may miss the effects to the endocrine system at low doses, and using "archaic" assay method. Industry officials have also expressed concern over, among other things, lack of published information on how the EPA will interpret data, deal with ambiguous results, and decide which Tier 1 test results will trigger the second tier of screening.

Action has been progressing on the EDSP throughout the year. White House Office of Management and Budget completed its review of the first tier of the EDSP in March, and in April EPA officially unveiled the program and published a list of 67 chemicals - pesticide ingredients, three phthalates, and methyl ethyl ketone - that will undergo initial screening. EPA published its final notice of the Tier 1 assays in September and in October released the battery of scientific assays, test guidelines, and its four-month schedule for test orders on the first 67 chemicals. The first test orders, released yesterday, cover seven chemicals: atrazine, 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), benfluralin, chlorthal-dimethyl, fenbutatin oxide, norflurazon, and propargite.

ACS to honor deciphering of the genetic code as a National Historic Chemical Landmark

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:41:14 PST

WASHINGTON, Nov. 2, 2009 — The deciphering of the genetic code will be designated a National Historic Chemical Landmark by the American Chemical Society (ACS) in a ceremony on Nov. 12.

The work of Marshall Nirenberg, PH.D., and colleagues will be honored at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, MD. Thomas H. Lane, Ph.D., president of the Society, will present the plaque to Michael Gottesman, M.D., deputy director for intramural research at NIH.

“Marshall Nirenberg’s work in deciphering the genetic code is one of the great accomplishments in chemistry and it paved the way for many of the advances in molecular genetics, including the mapping of the human genome,” Lane says. ”This research is richly deserving to become a National Historic Chemical Landmark as it demonstrates how the transforming power of chemistry can and does improve people’s lives.”

Francis Collins, director of NIH, says Nirenberg’s research “has been the foundation upon which all subsequent genetic progress rests.” Collins adds, “We are proud that NIH has been his research home all these years, and his tradition of cutting edge work is vigorously demonstrated by a recent foray into small molecule research. It is fair to say that Dr. Nirenberg’s discoveries contributed to our completing the human genome, mapping human genetic variation and studying the correlations between variation and disease. One day, when medicine is able to marshal the power of this knowledge to personalize medicine for every individual, the full promise of Nirenberg’s work will be realized."

After James Watson and Francis Crick electrified the scientific world with their model of DNA, the double helix, scientists jockeyed to be the first to unlock the keys of the genetic code which translates DNA’s information into proteins. Nirenberg, a young researcher at NIH who had no formal training in molecular genetics, decided to enter the fray. At that time, Nirenberg said in 2009, “The mechanism of protein synthesis was very incompletely known and messenger RNA [ribonucleic acid] had not been discovered.”

Nirenberg and Heinrich Matthaei, a postdoctoral fellow from Germany, began to map the process by which DNA is translated into proteins. Their breakthrough came in May 1961 in an experiment in which synthetic RNA directed protein synthesis, proving that messenger RNA transcribes genetic information from DNA. Simply put: the key to breaking the genetic code had been discovered.

Nirenberg and Matthaei had “cracked” the first “word” of the genetic code. Research shifted to translating the unique code words for each amino acid –– the building blocks of proteins –– in hopes of reading the entire genetic code of living organisms. Nirenberg, aided by colleagues at NIH, won this race, too. By 1966, Nirenberg had deciphered the 64 RNA three-letter code words, known as codons, for all twenty amino acids.

In 1968 Nirenberg shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Har Gobind Khorana (University of Wisconsin), who mastered the synthesis of nucleic acids, and Robert Holley (Cornell University), who discovered the chemical structure of transfer-RNA. Collectively, the three were recognized “for their interpretation of the genetic code and its function in protein synthesis."

The plaque presentation concludes a day-long symposium, “Genes to Proteins: Decoding Genetic Information,” on Nov. 12 in Masur Auditorium, Building 10 (the Clinical Center), NIH. The program is on the CSW Web site at http://membership.acs.org/W/WashDC/activities.html.

This symposium and the award ceremony are open to all CSW members and will be videocast. See http://www.nih.gov/about/visitor/index.htm for information on security, parking and other aspects of visiting NIH. See http://videocast.nih.gov/ for information on videocasting.

The American Chemical Society established the chemical landmarks program in 1992 to recognize seminal historic events in chemistry and to increase awareness of the contributions of chemistry to society. Other landmarks named through this prestigious program have included the invention of Bakelite, the discovery of penicillin, the development of Tide laundry detergent, and the work of historical figures, including Joseph Priestley, Antoine Lavoisier, and George Washington Carver, among others. For more on the Landmark program, please visit www.acs.org/landmarks.

The American Chemical Society is a non-profit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. With more than 154,000 members, ACS is the world’s largest scientific society and a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

ACS Celebrates the International Year of Chemistry U.S.Commemorative Stamp Petition

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:45:00 PDT

In view of chemistry's many contributions to the American experience and the world's quality of life and on the occasion of the recently announced United Nations' 2011 International Year of Chemistry, the American Chemical Society is working to urge the United States Postal Service to adopt chemistry as a theme for a commemorative stamp in 2011.

Considering the fact that the USPS gets 50,000 subject requests per year and awards only 25 commemorative stamps per year, your efforts to contribute to this cause this year are very important and very much appreciated.

Sign the online petition now to indicate your support. If you have already signed the petition, no need to sign again. However, feel free to forward the link to colleagues and friends willing to support this effort.

You can also download a petition to print out and distribute. Please send the completed petitions via mail to the American Chemical Society, Office of International Activities, 1155 16th Street NW, Room O-1106, Washington, DC 20036 or via fax to +202-872-6317 by November 2, 2009.

President Obama speaks on Climate Change, Clean Energy R&D

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:30:01 PDT

President Obama today toured a clean energy R&D facility at MIT and delivered an address on climate change legislation and the promise of cleaner energy.

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

________________________________________________________________

For Immediate Release October 23, 2009

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT

CHALLENGING AMERICANS TO

LEAD THE GLOBAL ECONOMY IN CLEAN ENERGY

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Boston, Massachusetts

12:44 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. Please, have a seat. Thank you. Thank you, MIT. (Applause.) I am -- I am hugely honored to be here. It's always been a dream of mine to visit the most prestigious school in Cambridge, Massachusetts. (Applause.) Hold on a second -- certainly the most prestigious school in this part of Cambridge, Massachusetts. (Laughter.) And I'll probably be here for a while -- I understand a bunch of engineering students put my motorcade on top of Building 10. (Laughter.)

This tells you something about MIT -- everybody hands out periodic tables. (Laughter.) What's up with that? (Laughter.)

I want I want to thank all of you for the warm welcome and for the work all of you are doing to generate and test new ideas that hold so much promise for our economy and for our lives. And in particular, I want to thank two outstanding MIT professors, Eric Lander, a person you just heard from, Ernie Moniz, for their service on my council of advisors on science and technology. And they have been hugely helpful to us already on looking at, for example, how the federal government can most effectively respond to the threat of the H1N1 virus. So I'm very grateful to them.

We've got some other special guests here I just want to acknowledge very briefly. First of all, my great friend and a champion of science and technology here in the great Commonwealth of Massachusetts, my friend Deval Patrick is here. (Applause.) Our Lieutenant Governor Tim Murray is here. (Applause.) Attorney General Martha Coakley is here. (Applause.) Auditor of the Commonwealth, Joe DeNucci is here. (Applause.) The Mayor of the great City of Cambridge, Denise Simmons is in the house. (Applause.) The Mayor of Boston, Tom Menino, is not here, but he met me at the airport and he is doing great; he sends best wishes.

Somebody who really has been an all-star in Capitol Hill over the last 20 years, but certainly over the last year, on a whole range of issues -- everything from Afghanistan to clean energy -- a great friend, John Kerry. Please give John Kerry a round of applause. (Applause.)

And a wonderful member of Congress -- I believe this is your district, is that correct, Mike? Mike Capuano. Please give Mike a big round of applause. (Applause.)

Now, Dr. Moniz is also the Director of MIT's Energy Initiative, called MITEI. And he and President Hockfield just showed me some of the extraordinary energy research being conducted at this institute: windows that generate electricity by directing light to solar cells; light-weight, high-power batteries that aren't built, but are grown -- that was neat stuff; engineering viruses to create -- to create batteries; more efficient lighting systems that rely on nanotechnology; innovative engineering that will make it possible for offshore wind power plants to deliver electricity even when the air is still.

And it's a reminder that all of you are heirs to a legacy of innovation -- not just here but across America -- that has improved our health and our wellbeing and helped us achieve unparalleled prosperity. I was telling John and Deval on the ride over here, you just get excited being here and seeing these extraordinary young people and the extraordinary leadership of Professor Hockfield because it taps into something essential about America -- it's the legacy of daring men and women who put their talents and their efforts into the pursuit of discovery. And it's the legacy of a nation that supported those intrepid few willing to take risks on an idea that might fail -- but might also change the world.

Even in the darkest of times this nation has seen, it has always sought a brighter horizon. Think about it. In the middle of the Civil War, President Lincoln designated a system of land grant colleges, including MIT, which helped open the doors of higher education to millions of people. A year -- a full year before the end of World War II, President Roosevelt signed the GI Bill which helped unleash a wave of strong and broadly shared economic growth. And after the Soviet launch of Sputnik, the first artificial satellite to orbit the Earth, the United States went about winning the Space Race by investing in science and technology, leading not only to small steps on the moon but also to tremendous economic benefits here on Earth.

So the truth is, we have always been about innovation, we have always been about discovery. That's in our DNA. The truth is we also face more complex challenges than generations past. A medical system that holds the promise of unlocking new cures is attached to a health care system that has the potential to bankrupt families and businesses and our government. A global marketplace that links the trader on Wall Street to the homeowner on Main Street to the factory worker in China -- an economy in which we all share opportunity is also an economy in which we all share crisis. We face threats to our security that seek -- there are threats to our security that are based on those who would seek to exploit the very interconnectedness and openness that's so essential to our prosperity. The system of energy that powers our economy also undermines our security and endangers our planet.

Now, while the challenges today are different, we have to draw on the same spirit of innovation that's always been central to our success. And that's especially true when it comes to energy. There may be plenty of room for debate as to how we transition from fossil fuels to renewable fuels -- we all understand there's no silver bullet to do it. There's going to be a lot of debate about how we move from an economy that's importing oil to one that's exporting clean energy technology; how we harness the innovative potential on display here at MIT to create millions of new jobs; and how we will lead the world to prevent the worst consequences of climate change. There are going to be all sorts of debates, both in the laboratory and on Capitol Hill. But there's no question that we must do all these things.

Countries on every corner of this Earth now recognize that energy supplies are growing scarcer, energy demands are growing larger, and rising energy use imperils the planet we will leave to future generations. And that's why the world is now engaged in a peaceful competition to determine the technologies that will power the 21st century. From China to India, from Japan to Germany, nations everywhere are racing to develop new ways to producing and use energy. The nation that wins this competition will be the nation that leads the global economy. I am convinced of that. And I want America to be that nation. It's that simple. (Applause.)

That's why the Recovery Act that we passed back in January makes the largest investment in clean energy in history, not just to help end this recession, but to lay a new foundation for lasting prosperity. The Recovery Act includes $80 billion to put tens of thousands of Americans to work developing new battery technologies for hybrid vehicles; modernizing the electric grid; making our homes and businesses more energy efficient; doubling our capacity to generate renewable electricity. These are creating private-sector jobs weatherizing homes; manufacturing cars and trucks; upgrading to smart electric meters; installing solar panels; assembling wind turbines; building new facilities and factories and laboratories all across America. And, by the way, helping to finance extraordinary research.

In fact, in just a few weeks, right here in Boston, workers will break ground on a new Wind Technology Testing Center, a project made possible through a $25 million Recovery Act investment as well as through the support of Massachusetts and its partners. And I want everybody to understand -- Governor Patrick's leadership and vision made this happen. He was bragging about Massachusetts on the way over here -- I told him, you don't have to be a booster, I already love the state. (Applause.) But he helped make this happen.

Hundreds of people will be put to work building this new testing facility, but the benefits will extend far beyond these jobs. For the first time, researchers in the United States will be able to test the world's newest and largest wind turbine blades -- blades roughly the length of a football field -- and that in turn will make it possible for American businesses to develop more efficient and effective turbines, and to lead a market estimated at more than $2 trillion over the next two decades.

This grant follows other Recovery Act investments right here in Massachusetts that will help create clean energy jobs in this commonwealth and across the country. And this only builds on the work of your governor, who has endeavored to make Massachusetts a clean energy leader -- from increasing the supply of renewable electricity, to quadrupling solar capacity, to tripling the commonwealth's investment in energy efficiency, all of which helps to draw new jobs and new industries. (Applause.) That's worth applause.

Now, even as we're investing in technologies that exist today, we're also investing in the science that will produce the technologies of tomorrow. The Recovery Act provides the largest single boost in scientific research in history. Let me repeat that: The Recovery Act, the stimulus bill represents the largest single boost in scientific research in history. (Applause.) An increase -- that's an increase in funding that's already making a difference right here on this campus. And my budget also makes the research and experimentation tax credit permanent -- a tax credit that spurs innovation and jobs, adding $2 to the economy for every dollar that it costs.

And all of this must culminate in the passage of comprehensive legislation that will finally make renewable energy the profitable kind of energy in America. John Kerry is working on this legislation right now, and he's doing a terrific job reaching out across the other side of the aisle because this should not be a partisan issue. Everybody in America should have a stake -- (applause) -- everybody in America should have a stake in legislation that can transform our energy system into one that's far more efficient, far cleaner, and provide energy independence for America -- making the best use of resources we have in abundance, everything from figuring out how to use the fossil fuels that inevitably we are going to be using for several decades, things like coal and oil and natural gas; figuring out how we use those as cleanly and efficiently as possible; creating safe nuclear power; sustainable -- sustainably grown biofuels; and then the energy that we can harness from wind and the waves and the sun. It is a transformation that will be made as swiftly and as carefully as possible, to ensure that we are doing what it takes to grow this economy in the short, medium, and long term. And I do believe that a consensus is growing to achieve exactly that.

The Pentagon has declared our dependence on fossil fuels a security threat. Veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan are traveling the country as part of Operation Free, campaigning to end our dependence on oil -- (applause) -- we have a few of these folks here today, right there. (Applause.) The young people of this country -- that I've met all across America -- they understand that this is the challenge of their generation.

Leaders in the business community are standing with leaders in the environmental community to protect the economy and the planet we leave for our children. The House of Representatives has already passed historic legislation, due in large part to the efforts of Massachusetts' own Ed Markey, he deserves a big round of applause. (Applause.) We're now seeing prominent Republicans like Senator Lindsey Graham joining forces with long-time leaders John Kerry on this issue, to swiftly pass a bill through the Senate as well. In fact, the Energy Committee, thanks to the work of its Chair, Senator Jeff Bingaman, has already passed key provisions of comprehensive legislation.

So we are seeing a convergence. The naysayers, the folks who would pretend that this is not an issue, they are being marginalized. But I think it's important to understand that the closer we get, the harder the opposition will fight and the more we'll hear from those whose interest or ideology run counter to the much needed action that we're engaged in. There are those who will suggest that moving toward clean energy will destroy our economy -- when it's the system we currently have that endangers our prosperity and prevents us from creating millions of new jobs. There are going to be those who cynically claim -- make cynical claims that contradict the overwhelming scientific evidence when it comes to climate change, claims whose only purpose is to defeat or delay the change that we know is necessary.

So we're going to have to work on those folks. But understand there's also another myth that we have to dispel, and this one is far more dangerous because we're all somewhat complicit in it. It's far more dangerous than any attack made by those who wish to stand in the way progress -- and that's the idea that there is nothing or little that we can do. It's pessimism. It's the pessimistic notion that our politics are too broken and our people too unwilling to make hard choices for us to actually deal with this energy issue that we're facing. And implicit in this argument is the sense that somehow we've lost something important -- that fighting American spirit, that willingness to tackle hard challenges, that determination to see those challenges to the end, that we can solve problems, that we can act collectively, that somehow that is something of the past.

I reject that argument. I reject it because of what I've seen here at MIT. Because of what I have seen across America. Because of what we know we are capable of achieving when called upon to achieve it. This is the nation that harnessed electricity and the energy contained in the atom, that developed the steamboat and the modern solar cell. This is the nation that pushed westward and looked skyward. We have always sought out new frontiers and this generation is no different.

Today's frontiers can't be found on a map. They're being explored in our classrooms and our laboratories, in our start-ups and our factories. And today's pioneers are not traveling to some far flung place. These pioneers are all around us -- the entrepreneurs and the inventors, the researchers, the engineers -- helping to lead us into the future, just as they have in the past. This is the nation that has led the world for two centuries in the pursuit of discovery. This is the nation that will lead the clean energy economy of tomorrow, so long as all of us remember what we have achieved in the past and we use that to inspire us to achieve even more in the future.

I am confident that's what's happening right here at this extraordinary institution. And if you will join us in what is sure to be a difficult fight in the months and years ahead, I am confident that all of America is going to be pulling in one direction to make sure that we are the energy leader that we need to be.

Thank you very much, everybody. God bless you. God bless the United States of America. (Applause.)

END 1:03 P.M EDT