Washington, DC— SAFE’s Energy Security Leadership Council (ESLC) has convened for two decades as a peerless, non-partisan coalition of business and retired military leaders committed to advancing energy policies to strengthen the economic and national security of the United States and allied nations. SAFE is proud to announce the addition of the following five new members to the distinguished Council:
- Admiral Craig Faller (ret.)—31st Commander, U.S. Southern Command
- General Joseph Lengyel (ret.)—28th Chief, National Guard Bureau
- General Craig McKinley (ret.)—26th Chief, National Guard Bureau
- General John Michael Murray (ret.)—1st Commander, U.S. Army Futures Command
- General Thomas Waldhauser (ret.)—4th Commander, US Africa Command
“We face urgent new threats at the intersection of resource and supply chain geopolitics and national security, and the ESLC has been evolving to meet these challenges,” said Robbie Diamond, Founder, President, and CEO of SAFE. “Washington needs the perspective of four-star admirals and generals who have served our nation at the highest level now more than ever. It is SAFE’s honor and mission to share their gravitas and wisdom on the steps we must take to position America and her allies for success in the decades to come.”
Founded in 2006 with the late General P.X. Kelley (Ret.), 28th Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, and Frederick W. Smith, Chairman of the FedEx Corporation, the ESLC published “Recommendations to the Nation on Reducing U.S. Oil Dependence,” to reframe reducing petroleum consumption as a national security imperative. The report was instrumental to the bipartisan passage of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which increased fuel economy standards for the first time in three decades.
SAFE and the ESLC have worked consistently to advance a non-ideological “All of the Above” energy policy approach that leverages the nation’s energy resources, commercial innovation, and industrial strength to reduce dependencies on global adversaries for oil, other raw materials, and advanced energy technologies.
“The addition of these members opens an important new chapter for the ESLC and SAFE,” said Admiral Jonathan Greenert, Co-Chair of the ESLC. “As individuals, they have served our nation in a broad array of geographies, military branches, and tactical programs. Together, this cohort brings a formidable depth and range of expertise to SAFE’s important work.”
The ESLC and its proposals were specifically mentioned in two State of the Union addresses by Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. SAFE and the ESLC contributed to the sourcing provisions of the reformed Clean Vehicle Tax Credit in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. Today, the ESLC engages on a range of policy discussions related to permitting reform and industrial policy, while engaging with policymakers on the intersection of energy and defense technologies.
The ESLC is accompanied by the ESLC-Europe, a partner coalition of leaders that advises the European Initiative on Energy Security (EIES), a project of SAFE.
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SAFE is an action-oriented, nonpartisan organization committed to transportation, energy, and supply chain policies that advance the economic and national security of the United States, its partners, and allies. Since 2004, SAFE has worked with its Energy Security Leadership Council—a peerless coalition of current and former Fortune 500 CEOs and retired 4-star admirals and generals—to support secure, resilient, and sustainable energy solutions. Learn more at SecureEnergy.org.
