[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 118 (Thursday, July 17, 2008)]
[House]
[Page H6680]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   THE DRILL ACT PROMOTES DRILLING ON 311 MILLION ACRES OF OPEN LAND

  (Mr. SIRES asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, the Bush-Cheney energy plan is now 95 percent 
implemented and we are paying for it at the pump. It's no mystery how 
it happened. Two oilmen in the White House let Big Oil literally write 
the energy plan. And while Republicans continue to demand opening up 
more areas for drilling, Democrats are asking why not drill on 311 
million acres of Federal land already open for energy production?
  Day after day Republicans say drill, drill, drill. But they haven't 
once asked why oil companies are sitting on 68 million acres of 
already-leased land.
  This country needs a comprehensive plan for energy independence, and 
responsible drilling is part of that plan. Why not open new areas for 
development that will save consumers little at the pump decades down 
the road when there are 68 million acres of land ready for drilling?
  Mr. Speaker, Democrats don't want to make the American consumer wait 
another 10 to 20 years for any relief. Today we hope that the 
Republicans will join us in demanding that Big Oil start drilling on 
the leases they already have, otherwise lose the leases. It's time to 
tell Big Oil, ``Use it or lose it.''

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