Joe Barton: “One of the rules that we are looking at is cement. I have got three cements plants in my Congressional district.”

It doesn't change the basic mission statement. It doesn't change the authorized level of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

I don't want to speak for the Department of Energy, but the draft legislation allows, without going through the appropriation process, funds generated by using this facility for private purposes to be used for maintenance of the facility.

It's obvious that, to me, anyway, this program is being abused.

I was in Senate Chamber trying to prevent a hold on H.R. 7217. I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 434. ____________________