[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 10]
[House]
[Page 13710]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         CRITICAL ENERGY NEEDS

  (Mr. STEARNS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, the U.S. faces a critical need to encourage 
domestic petroleum production. It seems as if the United States has 
unilaterally disarmed itself in the competition for energy supplies by 
imposing a host of unnecessary restrictions on domestic oil and energy 
production. Indeed, in the past three decades, we've thwarted 
construction of refineries and nuclear power plants that could have 
helped to ease the competition for energy supply and that could have 
secured greater energy independence for all of us.
  Further, taxes on the major domestic oil producers lower incentives 
for new investments, and they add more costs to finished products at 
the pump. Furthermore, there is growing doubt that the recent rush to 
develop corn-based ethanol and other alternative and renewable energy 
sources will bring genuine relief or true energy security. By creating 
a bonanza for corn growers and agribusiness giants, we have succeeded 
in driving up food prices both in the United States and abroad.
  American families deserve better from the Democrat-controlled 
Congress.

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