[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 63 (Friday, May 19, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E909]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E909]]
     DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES 
                        APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2007

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. TODD TIAHRT

                               of kansas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 18, 2006

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 5386) making 
     appropriations for the Department of the Interior, 
     environment, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending 
     September 30, 2007, and for other purposes:

  Mr. TIAHRT. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of jobs and 
lower energy costs for the American people. The House Appropriations 
Committee correctly voted to take a first step toward opening more 
access to natural gas in the outer continental shelf. Natural gas is an 
affordable, clean-burning fuel that can be safely extracted without 
causing harm to the environment. But there are opponents of expanded 
access to this domestic energy source who are trying to strip language 
that lifts the annual congressional moratoria on natural gas leasing 
and production in the OCS.
  I urge my colleagues to join Mr. Peterson and Mr. Abercrombie in 
defeating all attempts to prohibit America from taking this small, but 
important, step toward energy independence. I commend Mr. Peterson for 
his work on this important issue and for his persistence in bringing 
this issue before the American people.
  America is the only country in the world that has a moratorium on 
off-shore drilling for natural gas. While there are vast amounts of 
this environmentally clean energy source available in areas far off our 
shorelines, opponents of lifting the moratorium are standing in the way 
of lowering energy costs for our farmers, chemical workers, small 
businesses and manufacturers.
  Because Americans pay as much as 600 percent more for natural gas 
than other countries, American businesses are often at a competitive 
disadvantage when trying to compete with foreign businesses.
  Our farmers depend upon natural gas for everything from irrigation to 
food processing to nitrogen fertilizer production. When the price of 
natural gas is high, that translates to more economic hardship for 
rural America. Unlike most other businesses, farmers are not able to 
pass along their increased input costs to consumers. It simply means 
less income for them and the rural communities that depend on an 
agriculture economy.
  Natural gas prices account for most of the cost of fertilizers, which 
means that as long as we refuse to open up more of our natural gas 
reserves and lower the costs, farmers and rural farming communities 
will continue to suffer. Additionally, 21 fertilizer plants in this 
country have closed in the past 6 years because they were no longer 
able to compete. High natural gas prices are closing businesses and 
killing jobs.
  Small businesses suffer when natural gas prices are high because they 
have to spend more money for heating and cooling bills rather than 
investments in new technologies or better wages for workers. Instead of 
being able to sell their products and services for less, many 
businesses are forced to raise their prices. And in today's economy, 
many small businesses are often competing with foreign competitors.
  Manufacturing jobs are even more at risk for leaving if we do not 
address the high cost of natural gas in this country. Over 100,000 
chemical jobs have been lost over the past 5 years because of high 
natural gas costs. These are jobs that we should not be forced to lose. 
Americans deserve better than a continuation of an out-dated moratorium 
on offshore drilling for natural gas.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in defeating the amendment to strip 
language that would help make America more energy self-sufficient.

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