[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 64 (Wednesday, May 11, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E866]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  OPPOSING GIVEAWAYS TO BIG OIL AND DRILLING OFF THE CALIFORNIA COAST

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. FORTNEY PETE STARK

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 11, 2011

  Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to allowing 
drilling off the California Coast and dismantling basic oil drilling 
safeguards.
  Barely a year after the worst environmental disaster in our history, 
Republicans have brought legislation (H.R. 1231) to the floor that 
shows they are suffering from amnesia. This legislation, when coupled 
with the two earlier drilling bills--H.R. 1229 and H.R. 1230--would 
mandate that vast swaths of the East and West Coasts be open to 
drilling, while fast-tracking new leases without sufficient safety or 
environmental review.
  Under H.R. 1231, the Interior Department would have to make at least 
half of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) available to leasing, 
including the California Coast, regardless of state objections or 
safety, economic, or environmental concerns. This is on top of the two 
earlier bills that would actually make drilling safeguards weaker than 
they were before the BP Spill while destroying judicial review of 
leasing decisions.
  This legislation does nothing to bring down gas prices. It is nothing 
more than a gift-wrapped handout to the oil industry. Republicans are 
not working to end the $4 billion in yearly taxpayer subsidies that go 
to the largest oil companies. They are not working to crack down on the 
speculation that we know is driving up the price of oil and gas. 
Instead, they are pushing legislation that would give these companies 
free reign over our oil reserves and put our coastlines and the jobs 
that rely on them at risk. The Energy Information Agency has estimated 
that even if the entire OCS were exploited for oil, gas prices would 
drop by only three cents--and not until 2030. The U.S. accounts for 
just 7% of world oil production and we have only 3% of the world's 
reserves. Despite the bumper sticker slogan of ``drill baby drill,'' we 
cannot drill our way out of high gas prices.
  I urge all of my colleagues to oppose this misguided bill and focus 
on sustainable and responsible solutions to rising gas prices.

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