[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 16]
[House]
[Page 21776]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            ENERGY SECURITY

  (Mr. PRICE of Georgia asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, over the past several years, we 
have all gained firsthand experience on the effects of America's 
outdated energy system with gas prices going up and down. Atlanta, my 
home, has seen gas prices anywhere from $3 to $6 a gallon. The results 
of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita show all of us how terribly dependent we 
are on foreign sources of oil.
  This is a large and complex issue and not a challenge easily solved. 
Our recently adopted new national energy policy will put us on the 
right track, but more is needed. It is critical that we address some of 
the systemic failures that have kept us dependent on others for energy 
and kept us from aggressively developing a reliable alternative source. 
While our economy expanded over the past decades, our ability to refine 
oil actually decreased. Since 1981, we have lost over half of our 
refineries. The most dynamic Nation in the world has not built a new 
refinery in 25 years. We are more dependent now on foreign oil than 
ever before.
  We must move away from foreign fuel sources and move toward a 
solution that maximizes alternative fuel. Mr. Speaker, energy 
independence is not just energy security, it is national security.

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