[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 48 (Wednesday, April 20, 2005)]
[House]
[Page H2154]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    OIL DRILLING IN THE GREAT LAKES

  (Mr. EMANUEL asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, earlier this week the President said he 
would have written a different energy bill without the $8 billion in 
giveaways for the oil and gas companies. ``The President has made his 
views known, in terms of any incentives in the legislation, that oil 
and gas companies don't need any incentives when the price of oil is 
where it is right now.'' That is the President of the United States 
commenting on the legislation we are going to have before us. Imagine 
if we spent those $8 billion of taxpayer money on developing new 
energy-efficient cars or new types of cars that would make America 
free.
  We have got to get rid of the old politics of special interest 
politics, writing legislation for special interests who give resources 
to campaigns, and start building a stronger America.
  In addition to giving the big oil companies $8 billion of taxpayer 
money, imagine the oil rigs along the shores of Chicago, Pittsburgh, 
Buffalo, western Michigan. It is an unwelcome thought for 30 million 
Americans who get their daily drinking water from the Great Lakes. 
Drilling is currently banned on the Great Lakes, but this bill would 
change the law from today's outright ban.
  Last night, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Stupak), the gentlewoman 
from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky), the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. 
Ehlers), the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Kirk), the gentleman from 
Wisconsin (Mr. Green), the gentleman from New York (Mr. McHugh), the 
gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Slaughter) and I offered a bipartisan 
amendment to permanently extend the ban on drilling in the Great Lakes.
  Consequently, this bill places the Great Lakes directly in harm's 
way. Imagine those oil rigs. Now imagine an oil spill closing the 
beaches and endangering drinking water.

                          ____________________