Political Quotes

“I would like to take a note here, relative to the number of ships that would have to be built if, indeed, ANWR were opened. A lot of people overlook the reality that Alaskan oil is unique. It has to move in U.S.-flagged vessels because the Jones Act requires that. Any movement of goods and material between two U.S. ports has to be moved in a U.S.-flagged vessel. So all the oil from Alaska moves down in ships built in U.S. yards, with U.S. crews, and flying the American flag. This is the largest concentration of U.S.-flagged tankers in existence in our country, in this particular trade. They would require, if ANWR opens, 19 double-hulled tankers which would add about $4 billion to the economy and create 5,000 jobs each for 17 years because these new ships will come on as replacements for others. I do not know if those benefits are nonexistent, but to the States-- Maine, where they are likely to build some of these ships; Alabama, Mississippi, Texas, Washington, California--these are jobs. These are good jobs, good jobs in U.S. shipyards.”