Political Quotes

“I rise to take exception with some of my colleagues--and I hate to say this--on my side of the aisle. This subject is very frustrating. I am talking about a letter I reviewed from March 8. It is a letter from the Senate Energy Committee. The letter talks about revenue sharing and offshore oil and gas development and how that Federal revenue should be shared. When I read this letter, it sounds as if there is some evil monster lurking in the deep, which is far from the truth. It is very frustrating--and I hate to say this--to see some of my fellow Democrats trying to make energy policy without talking to folks who are in the energy-producing States. Let me make this very clear. I am here to talk about revenue sharing. The letter is laid out as if it is about revenue sharing. After reading the letter, I found out that it is really about opposing offshore oil and gas development of any kind. I come from a State that is heavily invested in this endeavor, and to say revenue sharing is inherently inequitable is somewhat comical. What is inequitable is to drain resources from our energy-producing States without compensating them for the impacts of this needed development. I introduced legislation 6 weeks ago to make sure Alaskans get their fair share of the resources developed along our coastlines. Our communities are greatly impacted by development.…”