On the recordMay 25, 2010
Let me make a couple comments about the comments of my friend from Maryland concerning the opportunities we might have to exploit our resources in the United States. I hear quite often people say that we only have 3 percent of the world's reserves. The only reason that figure is so low is because we can't go ahead and go after and define our recoverable reserves. CRS came out about 2 months ago with a report that we are No. 1 in the world in recoverable reserves of gas, oil, and coal. We have done a study, not a part of any formal study, but to determine where we would be if we, like every other country in the world, would exploit our own resources, where we would be in terms of our dependency on the Middle East for the ability to provide the energy we need. In a short period, just on this North American continent, Mexico, Canada, and ourselves, if we would lift all restrictions we currently have, we would be able to be independent of the Middle East.
