[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 163 (Thursday, October 25, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2243]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            TEXAS BLACK GOLD

                                 ______
                                 

                              HON. TED POE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 25, 2007

  Mr. POE. Madam Speaker, 77 years ago, during the month of October, 
the biggest known oil field in the world was discovered in east Texas 
by Alabama wildcatter C.M. ``Dad'' Joiner. The nearby towns of Kilgore 
and Gladewater became bustling boom towns practically over night as 
thousands of people moved in trying to get their share. By the next 
year, the wells in the field were producing over 900,000 barrels of oil 
a day. When all was said and done, the oil field spanned over 40 miles 
and contained more than 30,000 wells in all. The discovery of oil in 
the State attracted hundreds of independent oil companies to the area, 
pushing Texas into the industrial world for the first time.
  Oil is still an important part of the Texas economy, but times have 
changed. Now the largest oil fields are in the Middle East, which means 
America is dependent on foreign countries for its oil. The increased 
tension and turmoil in that region only reinforces the importance of 
decreasing our dependency on foreign countries for a resource that in 
the year 2007 we can't live without.
  We need to continue to look at alternative and renewable energy 
sources to decrease our reliance on oil. We need to continue to search 
for oil in our own backyard to reduce our need to work with countries 
that don't have our best interest in mind. We need to protect our oil 
companies at home. We need to do these things so that our future 
generations aren't living the consequences of our inactions.
  And that's just the way it is.

                          ____________________