[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 25 (Wednesday, February 28, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H1401-H1402]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  AMERICA NEEDS A SOUND ENERGY POLICY

  (Mr. WATTS of Oklahoma asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. WATTS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, today marks the fifth anniversary 
of the end of the Persian Gulf war. We can all remember the great pride 
we felt on that day 5 years ago.
  During the gulf war, our strong defense came through--just the way it 
is supposed to--and now it is time for Congress to come through--just 
the way it is supposed to--with a sound energy policy.
  Since the gulf war, oil imports have reached an all-time high and 
domestic oil production has reached an all-time low.
  Twenty years ago we imported 35 percent of our oil. Today we import 
over 50 percent. Clearly we are overly dependent on foreign sources of 
oil to 

[[Page H1402]]
drive our cars, to heat our homes, and to fuel our economy.
  We are putting ourselves in a worse state of dependency than we were 
in, just before the oil crises of the seventies.
  Today I am calling on my colleagues to send the Nation a wake up call 
about the lack of a sound energy policy in the United States. For the 
month of March, one of our colleagues will speak on the floor every day 
about this critical issue.
  I am hopeful that these remarks will help us to develop a plan to 
secure control over America's energy future.

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