[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 149 (Thursday, September 18, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1843]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E1843]]
   COMPREHENSIVE AMERICAN ENERGY SECURITY AND CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT

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                               speech of

                            HON. TODD TIAHRT

                               of kansas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 16, 2008

  Mr. TIAHRT. Mr. Speaker, the American people have been speaking for 
months about the need to increase our domestic energy production. Never 
has the political will been so strong for the opening up of our 
domestic resources both on- and offshore. But, this Democrat-controlled 
Congress is not heeding the voice of its constituents and has failed 
them by bringing H.R. 6899 to the floor today.
  Our Nation is currently facing one of the most significant energy 
challenges in its history. We are not producing enough energy to 
provide for our growing economy. This bill inadequately addresses this 
challenge because it keeps 88 percent of our known resources in the 
Outer Continental Shelf, OCS, off limits to new domestic energy 
exploration. If Congress is serious about energy independence and 
lowering the cost of fuel, this isn't the bill. America deserves a 
comprehensive, bipartisan energy bill that opens up our domestic 
resources, incentivizes the discovery of renewable technologies and 
encourages conservation. This is the policy that will lead America into 
energy independence in the long-term and bring down the price of gas in 
the short-term.
  Before I get into why this bill fails our constituents, I want to 
point out a provision I do support. I was pleased the provision that 
makes it a Federal crime for oil companies with Federal leases to 
provide gifts to Government employees was inserted in this bill. I am 
deeply disappointed in recent revelations about improper activities 
between Federal employees and oil company representatives. And I 
support actions that would help prevent such improper activities from 
happening again. However, this bill fails miserably to incentivize the 
discovery of new technologies and domestic energy sources.
  Why does this bill fail our constituents? The Democrat-controlled 
Congress hastily put together this 290-page bill in the dark of night 
and brought it to the floor the very next morning. At 9:45 p.m. on 
September 15, 2008, H.R. 6899 was introduced. At 10 a.m., H.R. 6899 was 
brought to the House floor without any amendments and no committee 
input. This is not the process envisioned by our founders. Actually, 
when the Republicans held the majority in 2005, they allowed 23 
Democrat amendments to be offered to the energy bill, H.R. 6. This bill 
fails our constituents because this leadership has shut out the voice 
of 48 percent of our constituents by not allowing any Republican 
amendments.
  The bill opens with the words, ``Prohibition on Leasing.'' The 
Democrat's energy solution for the American people is a prohibition on 
leasing and limited new energy production that will help us achieve 
energy freedom. This bill will produce little if any new oil and gas 
since it locks up, by law, the first 50 miles of our coasts--on the 
Pacific coast that is over 97 percent of our known resources. Overall, 
88 percent of all known resources offshore remain permanently locked 
under this bill. Instead of producing more American energy with 
American workers, the Democrats would rather rely on foreign nations to 
produce our oil and natural gas. This is economically and 
environmentally irresponsible.
  In the 50-100 miles beyond the Atlantic and Pacific shores, the 
adjacent state must approve any lease. But what makes this provision 
even more unlikely to produce any new energy offshore is the fact that 
the bill does not share any of the royalties with adjacent states. 
Thus, it effectively removes any incentive for states to ``opt in'' 
while changing current policy on state revenue sharing.
  Why is this bill failing our constituents? Our country holds the 
largest supply of clean coal in the world. But this bill does nothing 
to promote clean coal and coal to liquid technologies.
  Why does this bill fail our constituents? Americans face a 
significant increase in our electricity rates in the coming months. 
This bill does nothing to increase our capacity; in fact, this bill 
imposes a new 15 percent renewable energy requirement on utilities. 
This bill fails our constituents because these new renewable energy 
requirements will be passed along to them in the form of higher monthly 
utility bills.
  The American people deserve a rational, transparent debate about 
developing domestic energy resources. Congress should pass a bipartisan 
energy plan that includes conservation, production, and innovation to 
help America become energy independent. We desperately need energy 
freedom in America.
  Why does this bill fail our constituents? This bill fails our 
constituents because it doesn't bring us any closer to energy 
independence. Instead of introducing a bill in the dark of night, this 
Democrat majority should bring up a bipartisan bill that has been 
vetted by both sides of the aisle. The Speaker has an abundance of 
legislative options that address our short-term and long-term energy 
needs. But she refuses to allow a full debate and vote on a 
comprehensive plan.
  For instance, a bipartisan bill, H.R. 6709, the National 
Conservation, Environment and Energy Independence Act, has been 
introduced by Representative Abercrombie (D-HI) and John Peterson (R-
PA). I am a cosponsor of this bill. One of the principal areas of this 
legislation is production--the exploration for and extraction of oil 
and natural gas in places such as the Outer Continental Shelf. There's 
also a call to establish conservation and environmental reserve funds 
that will help to preserve and to maintain wildlife refuges and public 
parks and to develop alternative energy, including solar, wind, and 
biofuels. The production of oil and natural gas from within U.S. 
borders will serve as a bridge to the Nation's ``alternative energy 
future'' and will see to it that the royalties from the leasing and 
sale of that oil and natural gas go to alternative energy, 
environmental, and conservation projects.
  A second option is H.R. 6566, the American Energy Act, of which I am 
also a cosponsor. The American Energy Act is an ``all of the above'' 
energy strategy that will increase the supply of American-made energy 
in environmentally sound ways. It will accomplish this by opening 
energy-rich deep ocean resources, Arctic coastal plain, and Inter-
Mountain West oil shale resources for more environmentally safe oil and 
gas exploration. This bill will also improve energy conservation and 
efficiency by providing tax incentives for businesses and families that 
improve their energy efficiency. This legislation focuses heavily on 
the promotion of alternative and renewable energy technologies through 
spurring the development of alternative fuels by permanently extending 
the tax credit for alternative energy production, including wind, solar 
and hydrogen and promoting coal-to-liquids technology.
  These are the policies that will lead America into energy 
independence. While I cannot support this bill today, if H.R. 6709, the 
bipartisan energy bill were to be brought to the House floor, I would 
vote ``yes.'' If H.R. 6566, an ``all of the above'' energy bill were 
brought to the House floor, I would vote ``yes.'' It is my hope that 
these bills will be brought to the floor of the House of 
Representatives before the 110th Congress adjourns. These are the bills 
that actually address and allow America to explore our own domestic 
resources and build a bridge to our future energy sources.

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