[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 153 (Thursday, September 25, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1969-E1970]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   COMPREHENSIVE AMERICAN ENERGY SECURITY AND CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                       HON. LUCILLE ROYBAL-ALLARD

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 16, 2008

  Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6899, the 
Comprehensive American Energy Security and Consumer Protection Act.
  Every day my constituents contact my office wanting to know what 
Congress is doing to lower gas prices. Many of these families work 
full-time. Some even have more than one job. Yet as a result of 
skyrocketing energy costs and a weakening economy, they are struggling 
to make ends meet.
  Madam Speaker, there is something fundamentally wrong with our energy 
policy when hardworking American families are increasingly burdened by 
escalating energy prices, while oil companies continue to reap record 
profits. Congress has a duty to move past short-sighted solutions, and 
pass this legislation which will provide the first steps to ending this 
inequity and our Nation's addiction to oil.
  While I have serious concerns about the expansion of offshore 
drilling, I recognize however, that this compromise is needed to 
address the expiration of the moratorium on Outer Continental Shelf 
drilling and move the other important provisions in the legislation 
forward.
  While it is far from perfect, H.R. 6899 is a necessary and realistic 
compromise that in addition to preventing drilling only three miles off 
our shores, will help expand our domestic energy supply, encourage 
energy efficiency and conservation, and reduce our Nation's dependence 
on oil.
  H.R. 6899 will address our energy crisis by the temporary release of 
almost 10 percent of the oil in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. This 
is expected to have the direct result of lower gas prices in the short-
term.
  The bill also invests in renewable energy technology by establishing 
a package of renewable energy tax credits and creating a renewable 
electricity standard, thereby giving us the tools and the incentives to 
break free of our dependence on oil. It is estimated that the renewable 
electricity standard will save American consumers up to $18 billion by 
2020. In addition, the tax credits will help spur the creation of new, 
green jobs and encourage the next generation of job development here in 
America.
  The bill also ensures that oil companies will pay their fair share of 
royalties on their drilling leases. Due to errors made by the 
Department of the Interior in 1998 and 1999, many oil companies who 
were granted leases during that time were exempt from paying royalties. 
This has amounted to $15 billion in lost revenues to the American 
taxpayer. There is absolutely no reason that oil companies should 
continue to cash in while American families can't even make ends meet. 
By rectifying this error, H.R. 6899 will ensure that the Interior 
Department will be able to collect the payments owed to hardworking 
Americans.
  Given the current crisis, it is necessary we take the first step to 
reach our larger goal of energy independence. The Democratic leadership 
has wisely rejected the Republican Party's shortsighted call for 
``drill-only'' legislation,

[[Page E1970]]

and instead has put forward a responsible plan to give states the 
option to decide if portions of the Outer Continental Shelf no closer 
than 50 miles off our shores will be opened to oil drilling--and it 
requires oil companies to drill on their existing leases or lose them. 
I am gratified that the legislation will incorporate environmental 
safeguards by permanently withdrawing national marine monuments and 
national marine sanctuaries from leasing eligibility.
  I urge my colleagues to support this legislation to protect our 
shores from the lifting of the offshore drilling moratorium and as a 
first step away from dependence on foreign oil and toward critical 
investments in renewable energy technology. This legislation provides 
the foundation for a long-term strategy to move the Nation on the road 
to energy independence.

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