Political Quotes

“I am pleased to tell you I will not need 5 minutes. This is a really short amendment. It simply strikes the words ``natural gas'' from this bill. Mr. Chairman, domestic production of natural gas has nothing to do with the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. The Strategic Petroleum Reserve is a strategic reserve of petroleum. Today, it holds about 372 million barrels of petroleum--oil, if you prefer. It does not hold natural gas. {time} 2000 Yet, H.R. 21 says that a release from the SPR--again, of oil--should be linked to an increase in drilling for oil and gas on Federal lands. Now, if you are not following that, I want you to imagine that you are at the grocery store, and your significant other calls you up and says: ``Hey, we are out of turkey.'' You come back and say: ``Well, I will return with turkey or milk.'' You might not have a happy spouse. Same deal here. If the majority would like to provide more subsidies to drill for gas on public lands, you are, of course, free to do that and propose legislation to do that, but that has nothing to do with releases from this Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Since the underlying bill is predicated on an event of SPR release, my amendment is both simple and necessary. It simply strikes all mentions of ``natural gas'' from a bill that claims to be about oil. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.”