Political Quotes

“I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Chairman, I just want to make this point. The fundamental reason for H.R. 2231 is to expand energy production in American waters. This amendment would put another moratorium; it goes the opposite direction. Furthermore, this amendment would eliminate revenue sharing, which has worked so well in the gulf coast. But here's the point I want to make specifically about California that was not made by my two colleagues on the other side of the aisle from California. This legislation directs that any offshore drilling should come from existing rigs onshore. That is possible to do, Mr. Chairman, because of the new technologies--horizontal drilling--that the oil industry has done for several years. It works. As a matter of fact, Mr. Chairman, the Governor of the State of California, Jerry Brown, has proposed precisely that for State waters. Now, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle from California didn't mention that--I don't know why they didn't mention it, because their Governor is in favor of that process. What this bill does is simply mirror that by saying we'll do that in Federal waters. I think my colleague from California (Mr. McClintock) put it in a very good way: California, like the United States, needs a jump-start in the economy. The best way to do that is through energy production, providing a certainty of energy for a growing economy in the future.…”