Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, the debate about our Nation's energy policy is happening here in Congress and around the country. We are debating the merits of natural gas extraction, with many of us arguing for much stronger regulations to prevent the contamination of our drinking water and the pollution of our air. We are debating the building of the Keystone pipeline, with many of us arguing that its approval would harm our environment and jeopardize the health and well-being of our communities. In each of these debates, the argument on each side may be contrary, but both sides are focused on one important question: Is this in the national interest? It is essential that today's debate about the exportation of natural gas be framed in the same light. The amendment I am offering with my friend from New Jersey is based on a central premise. Before hurrying to export as much as 36 billion cubic feet of LNG per day, we should take time to consider what this will mean for energy prices, jobs, manufacturing, the environment, and our economy. Current law simply assumes it is always in our natural interest to export natural gas, even though studies confirm that exporting our natural gas would increase the price domestically. We are providing a rubberstamp review process that expedites LNG exports without considering its potential effects.…”