[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 101 (Wednesday, June 18, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5755-S5756]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. WARNER (for himself and Mr. Webb):
  S. 3147. A bill to authorize the State of Virginia to petition for 
authorization to conduct natural gas exploration and drilling 
activities in the coastal zone of the State; to the Committee on Energy 
and Natural Resources.
  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I join those today who are addressing the 
issue of the energy problems that are facing our country today.
  I commend the President of the United States today with regard to the 
offshore drilling decision that he has made, and prior thereto the 
indication by Senator McCain as to his initiatives that he will take, 
in due course, I hope.
  But we have to focus on not only the long picture, I will address 
that momentarily, but what we can do now, what we can do today and 
tomorrow to help alleviate the many hardships that this price 
structure--which none of us really envisioned--this price structure is 
inflicting on the American families today.
  I was very proud to submit a resolution to this Senate on May 22, 
2008, joined by a number of colleagues and cosponsors. I would like to 
once again read this short resolution in which the Senate spoke with 
regard to this issue about steps that could be taken now to help lessen 
the demand every day for the need of gasoline.
  On May 22 the Senate said as follows:

                              S. Res. 577

       Whereas each day, as Americans contend with rising gasoline 
     prices, personal stories reflect the ways in which--
       (1) family budgets are suffering; and
       (2) the cost of gasoline is impacting the way Americans 
     cope with that serious problem in family and work 
     environments;
       Whereas, as a consequence of economic pressures, Americans 
     are finding ways to reduce consumption of gasoline, such as--
       (1) driving less frequently;
       (2) altering daily routines; and
       (3) even changing family vacation plans;
       Whereas those conservation efforts bring hardships but save 
     funds that can be redirected to meet essential family needs;
       Whereas, just as individuals are reducing energy 
     consumption, the Federal Government, including Congress, 
     should take steps to conserve energy;
       Whereas a Government-wide initiative to conserve energy 
     would send a signal to Americans that the Federal 
     Government--
       (1) recognizes the burdens imposed by unprecedented energy 
     costs; and
       (2) will participate in activities to reduce energy 
     consumption; and
       Whereas an overall reduction of gasoline consumption by the 
     Federal Government by even a few percentage points would send 
     a strong signal that, as a nation, the United States is 
     joining to conserve energy: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that the 
     President should require all Federal departments and agencies 
     to take initiatives to reduce daily consumption of gasoline 
     and other fuels by the departments and agencies.

  That is the end of the sense-of-the-Senate resolution.
  I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record at the 
conclusion of my remarks a letter that I wrote to the President a few 
days earlier, on May 16, addressing this very issue.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  (See exhibit 1.)
  Mr. WARNER. That is a short step. But I do wish to refer to the 
future.
  As noted earlier, the President has made his announcement this 
morning. But I would like to welcome him to this decisionmaking now to 
go to offshore drilling. With due respect to the Presiding Officer, we 
have different views expressed here a few moments ago. I want to go 
back over the history of this Senator, working with many others, on 
this issue of drilling offshore.
  First, during the debate on the Energy Policy Act of 2005, H.R. 6, I 
attempted to offer an amendment that sought to allow States to opt out 
of the Federal moratorium on offshore drilling. I was joined by 
Senators Alexander and Voinovich in that effort. Unfortunately, due to 
opposition to my proposal and the threat that my amendment would or 
could doom the whole bill, I withdrew the amendment, out of recognition 
of the hard work done by the managers.
  But at that time, I warned my colleagues, and I said, standing at 
this very seat: I regret to predict this, but I see nothing but danger 
signs with regard to worldwide energy consumption and the predicament 
facing the United States of America.
  That was over 2\1/2\ years ago that I so stated my concerns and also 
indicated that I wanted to support the move toward offshore drilling. 
So I regret that prediction of some years ago is now coming true.
  Later, in 2005, I came to the floor for a second time in an attempt 
to push forward legislation that would allow States to opt out of the 
Federal moratorium. This legislation, known as the Outer Continental 
Shelf Revenue Sharing Act of 2005, S. 1810, was introduced 6 weeks 
after the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina.
  I remind my colleagues that at the time, it was shockingly clear how 
vulnerable and how fragile our Nation's energy infrastructure, 
especially our oil and gas infrastructure, was to such a terrible 
disaster. Every American felt the effects of this terrible hurricane at 
the gas pump.
  Again, however, no action was taken on my bill. But I did not give 
up. Less than 6 months later I came to the floor again, this time with 
my colleagues, Senators Allen, Talent, and Santorum, all three no 
longer Members of our Senate, and also Senator Mark Pryor, who very 
much is a Member of our Senate today, to address this issue.
  We introduced the Reliable and Affordable Natural Gas Energy Reform 
Act of 2006, S. 2290. The bill sought to amend the Outer Continental 
Shelf Lands Act to allow coastal States to share in qualified OCS 
revenues should they choose, as States, to allow the exploration for 
natural gas only.
  S. 2290 would have allowed a State to lift the moratorium and share 
in OCS revenues should their Governor successfully petition to allow 
drilling for natural gas off their coasts.
  Again, no action was taken on this bill.
  Finally, I came to the Senate floor last June, a year ago this month, 
when gas prices were almost $1 lower than they are today, to offer, 
once again, an amendment on this subject. Specifically, my amendment 
would have allowed the Commonwealth of Virginia to explore for natural 
gas off its shores, a step already approved by the Governor of Virginia 
and our State legislature. If a natural gas reserve was found, the 
Governor, with the support of the State legislature, could have 
petitioned the Secretary of Interior to allow for the extraction of 
natural gas off the shores of Virginia. Furthermore, my amendment gave 
a voice in the process to the Secretary of Defense and to Virginia's 
neighboring States. I even set up a fund that would have provided money 
for environmental damage mitigation. Again, due to the opposition from 
some of my fellow Senators, my amendment was unsuccessful, failing 43-
44, and today we continue to suffer from soaring energy prices. But I 
will never give up; never, never, never will I give up.
  It is my firm belief that America must take a balanced approach 
toward its energy policy. That is why, for the Memorial Day recess, I 
joined the chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee in 
submitting and adopting the sense-of-the-Senate resolution I just read.
  And that is why today I send to the desk and file a bill in keeping 
with

[[Page S5756]]

those who want to do offshore drilling. It is virtually identical to 
ones I have been submitting for nearly 3 years.
  Mr. President, I am very privileged to be joined in this effort to 
have offshore drilling off the State of Virginia by my distinguished 
colleague, Senator Webb, who wishes to be a cosponsor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Virginia.
  Mr. WEBB. Mr. President, I voted in favor of the senior Senator's 
amendment last year when he offered it. I would like to join him as a 
cosponsor today on the legislation he has just introduced which is a 
modification of the amendment that was introduced last year.
  I know there are justifiable concerns about the issue of offshore 
drilling. I know the Chair has spoken eloquently about those concerns 
on many occasions. Also, I would like to say that the senior Senator 
from Virginia has been one of the great voices in favor of moving 
cautiously with respect to issues concerning our environment. He was 
one of the principal cosponsors on the climate change bill we just 
recently debated. He has proceeded carefully with respect to this 
legislation. There are appropriate safeguards in the legislation.
  I express my strong concern that we as a body must proceed carefully 
forward over the next year or so to renew our efforts to address the 
issue of global warming and climate change on the one hand and a 
sensible policy that allows us to bring forward all of the aspects of 
energy production and technology that will allow us to take advantage 
of the assets our country has. A part of that would be a renewal in the 
proper form of nuclear power production, such as we have seen in 
countries such as France and Japan. Part of it would be a sensible 
policy with respect to coal production, the assets of which are so vast 
in this country. We can move forward in that area with the right sort 
of technology in place, but also in the areas the senior Senator is 
addressing in his legislation today. He is proposing to move forward 
carefully with respect to offshore drilling. There are safeguards with 
respect to State involvement that are a good counterbalance to concerns 
people would have. He has built in a reserve to mitigate potential 
environmental damages, if they were to occur. Most importantly, he is 
realistic at looking at where we have to move as a country. We need 
affirmative leadership. We can't simply step away and not address 
solutions with respect to different energy alternatives.
  This legislation allows for revenue flow that we need to address 
other issues such as rebuilding our infrastructure. Part of this 
revenue flow would go to the Federal Government; part of it also would 
go to the State government.
  As the Senator and I are so well aware, because of a lot of different 
issues, we are having difficulty in the State of Virginia addressing 
infrastructure issues, transportation issues, the types of things we 
must get on top of if we are going to remain the preeminent Nation in 
the world in terms of being able to compete in a global economy. This 
process, once approved--actually, a two-step procedure by State 
government--would allow for income flow through royalties into the 
State government so that we can address these issues, one of which is 
so glaring in Virginia right now: our inability to see transportation 
projects funded at a time when the population of Virginia has so 
dramatically increased. In my view, the senior Senator has put forward 
legislation that is responsible. He is a friend of the environment. He 
is careful in terms of the different aspects of government involvement. 
I am pleased to support it.
  Mr. WARNER. I thank my colleague. We have, in a very short time 
together, although we have known each other many years, formed a strong 
working partnership, not only on behalf of Virginia but on behalf of 
this great Nation in many ways. I thank him for joining me today. I 
know he looks to the future. I also look to the future but only 6 more 
months or a little less in the Senate. I will pass the baton to him. 
But each day that passes, he grows in strength of voice and stature in 
the Senate. I wish him well.
  Mr. WEBB. I thank the Senator.

                               Exhibit 1


                                                  U.S. Senate,

                                     Washington, DC, May 16, 2008.
     The President,
     The White House,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. President: Each day, as America contends with 
     rising gasoline prices, we see and hear stories of how 
     individual Americans are coping with this serious problem as 
     they conduct their daily lives with their families and in 
     their work environments.
       They are finding ways to reduce their consumption of 
     gasoline by driving less, altering daily routines, and even 
     changing family vacation plans. These efforts bring 
     hardships, but save dollars that are necessary to meet 
     essential family needs. And while small in comparison to the 
     overall problem of supply and demand of gasoline, these 
     efforts do add up. I never dismiss the American ``can do'' 
     spirit.
       In one word, it is individual conservation. And in cases 
     such as this, when individuals are leading the way, the 
     government should join.
       The purpose of this letter is to urge you to lead the vast 
     federal government to likewise take initiatives to cut back--
     even in a small measure--its daily consumption of gasoline 
     and other fuels.
       I believe such a move would signal to Americans that their 
     government is sharing the daily hardships occasioned by this 
     turbulent, uncertain energy crisis.
       Having worked in and with the Department of Defense for 
     many decades, and recognizing that this government department 
     is the largest user of petroleum products, I believe that the 
     men and women of the armed services would pitch in to share 
     the hardships on the home front and lead the effort. Their 
     families are experiencing many of the same hardships as other 
     families across America.
       Recognizing that our nation must maintain its defense 
     posture, especially in Iraq and Afghanistan, where our forces 
     are courageously carrying out their missions, the 
     department's initiative to further conserve on fuels must be 
     done without any harmful diminution in readiness or training.
       By cutting back the number of flying or steaming hours in 
     our military ships and planes, by even a percentage point or 
     two, the armed forces could point with pride to their efforts 
     in our nation's conservation movement.
       With kind regards, I am
           Sincerely,
                                                      John Warner.
                                 ______