[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 92 (Thursday, June 5, 2008)]
[House]
[Page H4978]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 THE TIDE IS TURNING: AMERICANS SUPPORT INCREASING OUR DOMESTIC ENERGY 
                                 SUPPLY

  (Mr. TIAHRT asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. TIAHRT. Mr. Speaker, gas is over $4 a gallon and people are 
upset. According to a May 20 Gallup poll, 57 percent of Americans 
support drilling in U.S. coastal and wilderness areas that are now off-
limits. The tide is turning. Americans know we can solve this problem 
of high gas prices.
  Just this week the Sioux City Journal reported the results of what 
they called the ``most important election in the county's history.'' By 
a solid 58-42 percent, the voters of Union County approved a zoning 
ordinance that will keep alive the county's chances of landing the 
Nation's first oil refinery in 32 years. They know we need to increase 
our energy supply, and that's why I introduced the Refinery Streamlined 
Permitting Act, H.R. 2471, a bill that would require agencies to give 
high priority to refinery applications that would result in greater 
capacity, a cleaner-burning fuel, and a reduction in refinery's 
pollution output.
  Mr. Speaker, Americans need substantive solutions to secure our 
Nation's energy future. Let's join together in our efforts to open up 
the coasts, the wilderness areas, and drill for more oil to increase 
our domestic supply and bring down the price of gasoline.

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