Political Quotes

“I will take 2 minutes to respond to the opening comments, and then I will share time. Why are we here tonight on an appropriations bill? Because for 25 years we have had authorizing language placed in the initial draft of an appropriations bill that has nothing to do with appropriating, but has a lot to do with the energy policy of this country. This country is in an energy crisis, and the crisis in this country is natural gas. But natural gas is readily available in this country onshore and offshore. We are the only country in the world that has locked up its Outer Continental Shelf. That is from 3 miles to 200 miles. We are the only country in the world. Now, my language that I placed in this bill, because it is all I could do in an appropriating bill; I can move authorizing language. I chose not to remove gas and oil because I think gas is the crisis that we can deal with. I removed the prohibition of natural gas only. I couldn't put my language in there from the bill I have that protects the shorelines for 20 miles. I couldn't do that. But we removed it for natural gas only. Still, we have a Presidential moratorium. Nothing can happen. We have a 5-year plan that anything that is leased, nothing can happen. We have to have authorizing language to allow gas leases only. Nothing can happen. This is the beginning of a debate, folks, that you have all been avoiding. This debate has been avoided year after year as the gas crisis in this country has continued to skyrocket.…”