[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 13023]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 BRAC/REFINERY BILL DISCHARGE PETITION

  (Mr. PITTS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PITTS. Madam Speaker, a new oil refinery has not been built in 
the United States in over 30 years, and the refineries that we do have 
are operating at or near capacity. No matter how much crude oil is made 
available, the United States simply does not have the capacity to 
refine it. And today we are importing processed refined gasoline, last 
week, 1.2 million barrels of refined gasoline.
  Less than a week after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf, the 
price for regular gasoline increased by 46 cents, because much of our 
refining capacity is located along the Gulf Coast. Oil refining 
capacity is just one of the many aspects of our energy policy that we 
need to reconsider as gas prices continue their steep climb.
  My bill, H.R. 2279, the subject of this week's discharge resolution, 
would address one of the largest hurdles to building a new refinery; 
finding land. By using a few closed military bases, we can jump-start 
the process and help address our refining needs.

                          ____________________