[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1282 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1282

 Encouraging the President to revoke the Executive memorandum banning 
        energy production on America's Outer Continental Shelf.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 18, 2008

  Mr. Tim Murphy of Pennsylvania submitted the following resolution; 
        which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Encouraging the President to revoke the Executive memorandum banning 
        energy production on America's Outer Continental Shelf.

Whereas the average price of gasoline was $2.33 at the beginning of the 110th 
        Congress and since that time the average price of gasoline has risen as 
        much as 74 percent;
Whereas families of all income levels are deeply affected by the rising prices, 
        with low income and fixed income households being hurt the most from 
        rising food and energy prices;
Whereas the increased cost of fuel for manufacturing and transportation has 
        negatively impacted the ability of American employers to compete with 
        the price of products made in other countries and in many instances the 
        higher prices are forcing businesses to locate some or all of their 
        production overseas;
Whereas the United States imports 2.2 billion barrels of crude oil per year from 
        nations in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Counties (OPEC);
Whereas the economy and the national security of the United States are 
        threatened by our reliance on OPEC and that the United States should 
        never relinquish control of its economic security and national security 
        to other nations;
Whereas the United States has abundant energy resources on the Outer Continental 
        Shelf (OCS), and has developed a comprehensive framework of 
        environmental laws and regulations and fostered the development of 
        state-of-the-art technology that allows for the responsible development 
        of these resources for the benefit of its citizenry;
Whereas the Minerals Management Service estimates the American OCS contains at 
        least 86 billion barrels of oil and 420 trillion cubic feet of natural 
        gas, although much of that area is currently blocked from exploration or 
        surveying, thereby inhibiting a more comprehensive assessment of energy 
        reserves;
Whereas Cuba has extended the option to many nations, including China, to obtain 
        oil and gas leases as close as 50 miles off the coast of Florida while 
        current United States policy prohibits oil exploration as far as 200 
        miles off the coast of the United States;
Whereas several countries, including the United Kingdom, Brazil, Ireland, 
        Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, and Norway, allow exploration 
        along their OCS;
Whereas, on May 13, 2008, the House of Representatives passed legislation to 
        suspend contributions to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, thereby 
        agreeing that the supply of oil is linked to the price of gasoline;
Whereas 67 percent of the American people support more American-made energy by 
        revoking leasing restrictions on the OCS;
Whereas section 12 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act permits the 
        President to prohibit energy exploration off our coasts;
Whereas an Executive moratorium last extended in 1998 by President Clinton 
        prohibits the development of our resources until 2012; and
Whereas the President of the United States may revoke this prohibition: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) encourages the President to revoke the Executive 
        memorandum banning energy production on the United States Outer 
        Continental Shelf; and
            (2) urges the President to work with Congress to increase 
        the production of American energy.
                                 <all>