[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 44 (Thursday, April 18, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E571]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   BEGINNING A SERIES OF ENERGY REMARKS, CALLS FOR USE OF ALL ENERGY 
                                SOURCES

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. RALPH M. HALL

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 18, 2002

  Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to begin a series of 
remarks on energy. Once again, the uncertainties in the Middle East 
have caused prices in oil markets to rise, and from what we read in the 
news, the current uncertainty is unfortunately likely to last for quite 
some time.
  My goal with this series is simple: to impress upon my colleagues the 
need to develop a national energy policy. And that policy should 
include all of our resources--fossil fuels, nuclear, renewables and, 
yes, conservation. We need them all.
  In this country we are blessed with an abundance of energy choices. 
We have abundant coal resources--in fact some of the largest in the 
world. We have tremendous potential for the development of solar and 
wind resources. And even though for many years we have produced huge 
volumes of crude oil and natural gas--even supplied some of the world 
with it at times--we still have significant oil and gas resources in 
the ground.
  Much of the rest of the world is envious of our energy resources and 
the choices we have. In the coming days and weeks, I will address some 
of those options and what we can do to bring those options into 
reality.

                          ____________________