Ted Poe: “I do not understand why. I think, in my own opinion, there is a certain fear and panic about offshore drilling that is…”

“I do not understand why. I think, in my own opinion, there is a certain fear and panic about offshore drilling that is unfounded. Those folks that can drill offshore today can do it in a very environmentally clean manner. The best example is probably using the North Sea. The roughest seas in the world are in the North Sea. And the North Sea has numerous offshore rigs. Most of them built by, of course, Texans, and they can do so in a safe manner. We can drill offshore in a safe manner. We can drill in an environmentally safe manner. No one wants polluted air or water. I think the day has come now where we have to get rid of the unnecessary and abusive regulations so we can drill offshore. It will not only bring us natural gas, crude oil for gasoline, but it will bring an income to the American public, because when the Federal Government leases offshore, oil companies pay for those leases. And some estimate that the American Treasury could receive up to $7 billion a year by leasing in those areas where we have not leased before. So it is a decision that the American public is going to have to make, depending on foreign gas, natural gas, depending on foreign crude oil or drill offshore; and I think we should drill in numerous places. And it is a security issue because as you know when those hurricanes get in the gulf, they have to go somewhere.…”