[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 22]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 30941]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




       THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS CONFERENCE REPORT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ELIOT L. ENGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, December 22, 2005

  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, on December 19, 2005, I voted against the 
Department of Defense Appropriations Conference Report as it was 
considered by the House of Representatives. While I voted for the 
Defense Authorization Act and normally would support a Defense 
Appropriations bill--especially with our troops in harm's way--this 
year I regrettably had to vote against the legislation.
  I did so largely because the Republican majority inserted a provision 
allowing oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). 
This controversial measure was repeatedly rejected through the 
democratic process, but the Republican leadership preferred to hold the 
Defense Appropriations bill--and our troops in the field--hostage to 
the effort to drill in this pristine wildlife refuge. Moreover this 
legislation contained a 1 percent across the board cut in non-defense 
discretionary spending.
  Mr. Speaker, America cannot drill its way to independence from 
foreign oil. Tapping ANWR would produce barely a drop in the bucket of 
the amount of oil we consume in this Nation. Even if we started 
drilling in ANWR today, we would not see any of that oil until 2012.
  Rather than drilling in the Arctic wilderness and extending our 
reliance on oil, we must increase fuel efficiency, diversify our 
sources of energy, and promote clean alternatives. We need to invest 
and focus on ways to reduce our consumption of oil. This is why 
Congressman Jack Kingston (R-NY) and I have introduced The Fuel Choices 
for American Security Act, which sets meaningful and achievable goals, 
all of which can be accomplished using new technologies that are 
already proven, effective and efficient.
  I, therefore, am very pleased to learn that the Senate has struck the 
ANWR drilling provision from the Defense Appropriations Conference 
Report. It is my understanding that this bill will now pass the House 
by unanimous consent, and will be sent to the President for signature.

                          ____________________