Lynn C. Woolsey: “H.R. 6, which the House passed earlier today, is called the Energy Policy Act of 2005. But the only real policies to be…”

“H.R. 6, which the House passed earlier today, is called the Energy Policy Act of 2005. But the only real policies to be found in this immoral legislation are tax breaks for polluters, swollen gasoline prices, and continued reliance on fossil fuels of the past. This legislation fails to even mention climate change or global warming which scientists of all stripes acknowledge is caused at least in part by high levels of carbon dioxide emissions from automobiles. It fails to correct the matter of MTBE, a gasoline additive that has leaked into the Earth and tarnished our drinking water, except, however, to waive liabilities for MTBE providers. Most significant of all, Mr. Speaker, this legislation fails to truly address America's reliance on Middle East oil. Of the 21 million barrels consumed by the United States each day, 14 million barrels are imported, making Middle East oil the United States' main source of energy. Much of this oil is imported from countries that do not share America's commitment to democracy and our commitment to human rights, countries like Saudi Arabia, Libya, and Venezuela. It is obvious in this energy bill that those who claim that drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska will cure our Nation's energy policy do not know much about how oil is produced. Drilling in ANWR will do little to reduce our current dependence on foreign oil because it will take a full decade to process what little oil may be there in the first place.…”