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1942, in the midst of World War II, pressure as a result of the ongoing
global situation prompted the U.S. federal government to form a group
whose central mission was to study the use of atomic energy in creating
an atomic weapon. That unique research and development mission came to
be known as the Manhattan Project. The Manhattan Project took place over
30 different locations across the nation, each location sharing the same
goal of creating an atomic weapon, a feat that seemed nearly impossible
at the time. The government searched across our nation to form a team
made up of the most brilliant scientists and researchers in
hydrodynamics, neutron diffusion, plutonium, and fission piles. The
chosen scientists and researchers joined together in one of the largest,
most challenging scientific missions our nation has undertaken. Our
governmental leaders at the time knew that the project was too big – too
complicated – for a group of federal government employees to undertake
on its own, and they likely knew that Congress’s involvement would have
hindered the mission with politicized rhetoric. Instead, they went to
the best and brightest scientist and researchers in the field who, by
coming together, developed the seemingly impossible nuclear technology
that changed the course of history.
Today, we face an energy problem that is so complicated and so cavernous
that it is going to take much more than convincing people to drive
hybrid cars, use energy efficient lightbulbs, bike to the grocery store,
and find ways to use solar energy. Our energy issues are simply just too
involved for these solutions alone to work. We need a modern-day
Manhattan style project for energy independence.
Each time the price of oil increases $10 a barrel, it doesn’t only
increase the price you pay at the pump, but it impacts our overall
national spending as well. According to the U.S. Navy, for every $10
that crude oil increases per barrel a year, it costs the Department of
Defense $1.3 billion to cover the fuel costs needed to power our ships.
Our energy problem is not just a conservation issue - it's a national
security issue. Each time the price of crude oil increases, we face
unnecessarily high and growing demands for battlespace fuel, and we
compromise our operational capability. We cannot afford to jeopardize
the success of our national security missions because of high energy
prices.
We are in need of energy that is reliable, that we can afford, that
doesn’t unduly harm our environment, and we are in need of energy that
does not make us overly dependent on foreign countries. Our energy
problems are having a direct impact on individual families, on
businesses, on our environment, and on our national security. We all can
agree on some main things we need to be doing in energy: research and
innovation, utilizing renewable and alternative energy sources, and
focusing on conservation. But like the mission in 1942 to develop an
atomic weapon, we must recognize that our energy problems are so global,
so scientifically based, that it is a much too complicated task for the
federal government or Congress to solve on its own – we need the insight
of the best and brightest scientists and researchers in the field.
Despite our list of needs, I do not believe fixing our energy problems
in this country is impossible. Looking back, our country has tackled
some monumental challenges over its short history. We were founded by a
nation of dreamers, and those dreams have carried us through to become a
country of great innovators. There is no reason we cannot continue this
tradition of innovation. We just have to realize how to best get
valuable results and to understand when we need collaborative
assistance. None of this is going to take shape on our nation’s energy
problem if we try to accomplish it without the assistance of the best
and brightest scientists and researchers we have acting in a modern day
"brain trust" in order to study the best energy policies our country can
adopt. We also need their help in determining how to implement
some of the viable energy solutions that have already been proposed.
We will never find a solution to the problem if we do not address our
long-term needs. I am confident that we have the intellectual resources
in this country to do just that; we just need to bring them together,
which is why I am proposing this commission of scientists and
researchers. We can do better, and devoting our best intellectual
resources to the problem can help us get there.
Famous Virginians
Virginia is home to many exciting places, interesting facts, and
extraordinary people. The birth place of America’s first President,
areas of significant battles in the Civil War and Revolutionary War,
important historical figures, and more U.S. Presidents than any other
state are just some of the many examples that Virginia can claim as her
own. Even more, Virginia is home to many famous Olympic and Professional
athletes and entertainers of all different fields.
"America's
Story" from the Library of Congress highlights a number of amazing
Americans who have made history, many of whom are Virginians and many of
whom call the Fourth Congressional district home, including inventors,
performers, and politicians. The following natives of the Fourth
Congressional district have made history for making our country what it
is today.
Winfield Scott (1786 –1866), Dinwiddie County
Winfield Scott was a United States Army general, diplomat, and
presidential candidate, losing to Democratic candidate, Franklin Pierce.
He served on active duty as a general longer than any other man in
American history, in which he commanded forces in the War of 1812, the
Mexican-American War, the Black Hawk War, the Second Seminole War, and,
briefly, the American Civil War.
William Mahone (1826 –1895), Southampton County
William Mahone was a civil engineer, teacher, soldier, railroad
executive, and a member of the Virginia General Assembly, U.S. Congress,
and mayor of Petersburg. As a civil engineer, he helped build Virginia's
roads and railroads, later arranging for Virginia’s portion of the
proceeds from the railroads to help fund a school near his home at
Petersburg, which became Virginia State University.
Walter Tee Wyatt (1929-), Petersburg
Walter Tee Wyatt is a civil rights activist who worked closely with the
Reverand Martin Luther King Jr. In 1953, he became Minister at Gillfield
Baptist Church in Petersburg. In 1959 Walker organized and led the first
local Prayer Pilgrimage for Public Schools, an event that protested
Virginia state officials’ attempts to block public school integration.
He is also the founder of the Virginia Council on Human Relations, a
biracial group working for desegregation.
Moses Malone, (1955-), Petersburg High School, Petersburg
Moses Malone played in the NBA for 19 years, leading the Houston Rockets
to the NBA Finals in 1981 and the Philadelphia 76ers to the 1983 NBA
Championship. Malone retired following the 1994-95 season, having scored
27,409 points and grabbed 16,212 rebounds in his 19-year NBA career. He
made more free throws, 8,531, at the time, more than any other player in
NBA history and also finished his career ranked second behind Wilt
Chamberlain in free throw attempts with 11,090.
Alonzo Morning, (1970-), Indian River High School, Chesapeake
Alonzo Morning has appeared in 813 NBA games and currently plays for the
Miami Heat. He is a seven-time NBA All-Star, two-time NBA Defensive
Player of the Year, a two-time NBA Rookie of the Month and one-time NBA
Player of the Month.
Other Famous Virginians from the 4th Congressional District:
John Y. Mason – (1799-1859), Greensville County
Served in the Virginia legislature from 1823 to 1827, was elected to the
United States Congress 1830, became a judge on the General Court of
Virginia, became a federal judge in 1841. Secretary of the Navy
(1844-1849), Attorney General (1845-1846)
John B. Floyd – (1806 – 1863), Smithfield
Governor of Virginia (1849-1852); Secretary of War (1857-1861)
Lewis F. Powell Jr. – (1907-1998), Suffolk
Supreme Court Justice (1972-1990)
Denny Hamlin (1980-), Chesterfield County
NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year 2006
Ricky Rudd (1956-), Chesapeake
NASCAR driver, inducted into the 2007 "Virginia Hall of Fame."
Hermie Sadler (1969-), Emporia
NASCAR driver, Busch Series Rookie of the Year 1993
Whitney Hedgepeth, (1971-), Colonial Heights
Three-time NCAA Champion and 21-time All-American, won a gold and two
silver medals at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.
Rada Owen, (1978-), Chesterfield
Member of 2000 Olympic swimming team.
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