Political Quotes

“Today, June 11 of the year 2008, we had an interesting happening in the Capitol. We have had $4 gasoline for some time now, we have had $5 diesel, record high natural gas prices approaching $13 per thousand, the most expensive energy America has ever known. We had a chance today in committee to deal with this issue. I was stunned. I have been working on this issue for many, many years. We passed a major bill in 2006 with good bipartisan support, a lot of Republicans, but we had probably 40-some Democrats. A lot of people in this Congress realize that we must produce more energy in America if we are going to deal with the prices in America. Today the Interior subcommittee met. I offered an amendment to open up the Outer Continental Shelf. As you look at the chart to my left, that's the east coast and the west coast and down here in the gulf on both sides of Florida. The red or pinkish areas are locked up. There's 86 billion barrels in those areas, by old standards, by old seismographic tests which was 30-some years ago. Most people feel there is many times that. There is 400 trillion cubic feet of natural gas there. My amendment today would have removed the moratorium. For 27 years Congress has had legislative language that says we cannot produce here. It's locked up. This Outer Continental Shelf is from 3 miles offshore. The first three miles is controlled by the States. Next 197 miles is owned by us, the taxpayers, citizens of America.”