[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 17]
[House]
[Pages 22714-22715]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          FREEZING IN THE DARK

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. POE. Madam Speaker, when the ladies of the gulf, Katrina and 
Rita, came barreling through recently, we learned many lessons. 
Unfortunately, in the aftermath we learned that the gulf coast oil and 
natural gas production can be easily disrupted to the detriment of the 
Americans. Although

[[Page 22715]]

there were around 2,900 platforms pelted in the path of the ladies of 
the gulf, very little environmental impact resulted. In the wake of 
these hurricanes, the need for American petroleum and natural gas and 
dependence on ourselves has become evident.

                              {time}  1600

  The United States must be more self-sufficient when it comes to 
energy.
  The United States imports 60 percent of its crude oil from foreign 
countries. In doing so, we are subject to the illegal price fixing 
cartel known as OPEC. The Gulf of Mexico is responsible for one-third 
of the domestic oil production and 22 percent of the domestic natural 
gas production. We learned from Katrina and Rita, oil and natural gas 
production can be disrupted to the detriment of consumers throughout 
the United States because production is too concentrated in the gulf 
coast region.
  To correct these problems, I have introduced H.R. 3811. This 
legislation would allow for safe oil and natural gas exploration along 
the Outer Continental Shelf. This bill would do away with all 
appropriation moratoriums and executive orders that limit leasing 
activities, while maintaining environmental safeguards.
  It is imperative that the United States begin drilling in other parts 
outside of the gulf. Madam Speaker, as my colleagues can see from this 
map, there is a wide range of areas where we can drill. Right now, the 
United States drills right here off my home State of Texas and 
Louisiana; yet, there is crude oil still in the Gulf of Mexico, on the 
east coast and, yes, Madam Speaker, even off the sacred coast of 
California. It is imperative that we think and consider drilling in 
these areas.
  Since the 1980s, Congress has been placing appropriations moratoriums 
on drilling on all of these red areas that are outlined on this map. 
They are doing so by withholding leases. It started in California, and 
now about 90 percent of the Outer Continental Shelf is off limits to 
energy developments. All these people on these coastal States want 
cheap gasoline, they want natural gas, but they say do not drill in our 
neighborhood.
  Madam Speaker, this is hypocritical. This does not make sense. It 
violates common sense. In this Outer Continental Shelf, there are about 
300 cubic feet of natural gas and more than 50 billion barrels of oil 
yet to be discovered, enough to replace current imports from the 
Persian Gulf for 60 years and produce sufficient natural gas to heat 75 
million homes for 60 years.
  Madam Speaker, it would seem to me that opening up these areas would 
be the obvious choice. We are the only major industrial power in the 
world that has this silly rule about not drilling off our own shores. 
They drill in the North Sea, and around the world, and yet, they do so 
safely.
  My bill would allow the Department of the Interior's Mineral and 
Mining Service to begin processing these leases. This would bring in 
additional lease revenue to Americans. Right now, Americans are 
receiving in this blue area $7.5 billion a year in lease revenue. 
Imagine what we could get from these red areas if we allowed drilling 
in these areas.
  It is important that we use some common sense. Americans worry about 
skyrocketing energy prices and want solutions. The decision on where to 
drill is going to have to be made and made soon. This is a price issue, 
but it is also a national security issue.
  Hurricane season is not over and it will be back next year. It is 
inevitable that more storms will come down hurricane alley right here 
in the gulf, and they are going to stop in Louisiana or Texas. With all 
the rigs in the same place, we are destined to repeat history. Although 
most of the rigs survived Hurricanes Rita and Katrina with minimal 
damage, there will be more storms, wind and disasters.
  Those that say no to offshore drilling have no solutions to the 
energy problem. We can drill offshore safely, environmentally correct, 
when you get over the fear factor proposed by the anti-drilling people, 
and take control of our own energy needs. Otherwise, Madam Speaker, we 
will freeze in the dark. That is just the way it is.

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