Four Democratic lawmakers have introduced legislation in the United States Senate meant to wean the United States from oil and strengthen national security by 2030.

In a news release, Tom Udall, D-N.M., Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and Tom Carper, D-Del. and Michael Bennet, D-Colo., said the Oil Independence for a Stronger America Act will set into law the goal of achieving independence from overseas oil in the next 20 years along with a specific plan for achieving it.

They said by committing America to developing a robust clean energy economy, the legislation would create new jobs while eliminating the national security vulnerability posed by dependence on oil from overseas to run the economy.

“America's dependence on oil from the Middle East, Nigeria, and Venezuela makes us increasingly vulnerable to economic and national security risks,” Merkley said in the news release. “American entrepreneurs and workers have the ingenuity and grit necessary to break this addiction to foreign oil - the challenge is whether politicians in Washington are willing to choose American strength over vulnerability.”

The bill was introduced on July 15 and it provides a comprehensive strategy to reduce oil consumption by improving energy efficiency and increasing the use of clean, renewable energy sources.

The bill would create a National Council on Energy Security to ensure a sustained focus on reducing the use of oil. The Council, housed in the White House, would be charged with making recommendations to the President and Congress to ensure America has a focused strategic plan for energy independence and with aligning the actions of various federal agencies.

The bill would reduce oil consumption in the U.S. by over 8 billion bpd by 2030, enough to end the need for oil imports from beyond North America.