[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 11974]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  NATURAL GAS IS THE CLEAN, GREEN FUEL

  (Mr. PETERSON of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. PETERSON of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, today natural gas opened 
at $12.65 per 1,000 Btus. That is an almost 100 percent increase from 
this time a year ago.
  Natural gas is the clean, green fuel that powers our manufacturing 
economy, accounts for 23 percent of the energy consumed in America and 
heats 52 million of our homes. Yet as prices continue to skyrocket and 
companies move offshore because America has the highest natural gas 
prices in the world, this Congress has done absolutely nothing to 
increase production.
  Tomorrow, I will offer an amendment to the Interior appropriations 
bill that will lift the congressional moratorium on offshore production 
from 50 to 200 miles, which happens to be the safest and most 
environmentally friendly place to produce energy. There is no need to 
beg the Saudis for more oil and Canada for more natural gas.
  We have vast reserves here in America. We need to produce American 
energy with an American labor force and give Americans energy they can 
afford.

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