[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 118 (Thursday, July 17, 2008)]
[House]
[Page H6679]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     DRILL ACT PROMOTES DRILLING ON 311 MILLION ACRES OF OPEN LAND

  (Mr. CARNAHAN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. CARNAHAN. Mr. Speaker, with high gas prices crippling the 
American economy, this country needs a long-term energy plan to lower 
gas prices, make America more secure, create green jobs, and reduce 
global warming.
  House Democrats support responsible drilling as part of our 
comprehensive strategy, but many Republicans in Washington say we need 
to do more drilling in our pristine oceans and wilderness areas, even 
though 300 million acres of public land, more than three times the size 
of California, are already open for leasing. They want us to give more 
public land to Big Oil, even though 68 million acres of land are 
already leased and not being developed.
  Today, the House will consider the DRILL Act. I urge my colleagues to 
join us in passing this vital legislation that will speed up 
development of NPRA, require Big Oil to use the land they have leased 
or lose it, and ban foreign export of Alaskan oil to ensure our oil 
stays in America.
  Mr. Speaker, this is commonsense legislation that does exactly what 
many are asking for, more drilling. So why don't they support a bill 
that requires Big Oil to drill and not just stockpile more leases?

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