[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 147 (Tuesday, September 16, 2008)]
[House]
[Page H8145]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    DRILLING OFF THE ATLANTIC COAST

  (Mrs. DRAKE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, Virginia's Second District includes the 
entire Atlantic coast in Virginia.
  Today, I see that the rumors that we've heard all weekend are true. 
This bill supposedly opens drilling, but really, it doesn't. The first 
50 miles are closed. The second 50-100 miles are open at State option, 
but no royalties to those coastal States.
  Virginia gets zero. Look at Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, 
37.5 percent. Every other coastal State, zero.
  The effect of this legislation will be none of these coastal States 
will allow for drilling. So industry will now look at 100 miles out or 
more. Problem with that? Resources within the first 50 miles.
  America needs to realize that we are the only Nation that does not 
take resources from our Outer Continental Shelf. The American families 
are hurting. American businesses are hurting, and look at the impact on 
our economy. After all of these months of bills on the floor and 
discussion on the floor, this is the result of this bill. It's not only 
a hoax, it is cruel to American families and American businesses.

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