[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 15016]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           PUT THE PLAN IN MOTION AND PASS ENERGY LEGISLATION

  (Mr. BARRETT of South Carolina asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. BARRETT of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, American families have 
been bracing from an energy problem for the past few months which has 
turned into an energy crisis. I have heard constituents loud and clear 
about their concern that leaders in D.C. were not listening. I heard 
their voices, and my Republican colleagues and I continued to come to 
the floor and ask the Democrat majority for their energy plan.
  When our floor speeches were continuously met with silence in the 
absence of a Democrat energy plan, I too began to wonder if our leaders 
were listening.
  Thankfully, the problem was recognized and addressed by our executive 
branch of government. I applaud President Bush's decision yesterday to 
lift the Federal moratorium on offshore drilling. Congress needs to 
move swiftly to pass legislation to implement this now that the 
President has decided to lift the ban. Let's work quickly together and 
efficiently to craft and pass legislation that will work toward 
providing short-term and long-term solutions. It is up to us now, as 
Members of Congress, to do what is right for the citizens, to put the 
plan in motion, and pass energy legislation.

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