[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 18]
[House]
[Pages 24362-24363]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  OPEN UP THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF

  (Mr. SMITH of Nebraska asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, in October 2008, just a year ago, 
Congress lifted the decades-long ban on energy exploration off 
America's coasts, clearing the way for expanded

[[Page 24363]]

domestic oil and gas exploration. Unfortunately, instead of moving 
forward with a plan to explore the Outer Continental Shelf, this 
administration has stopped progress by instituting an extended 6-month 
public comment period.
  Now the Obama administration has indicated offshore exploration may 
not happen until 2012, meaning what was a mere 6-month delay for 
comments has now become 3-year ban or could become a 3-year ban on 
offshore drilling.
  Mr. Speaker, Americans are still waiting for expanded oil and gas 
exploration. With unemployment nearing 10 percent and our Nation's 
deficit topping $9 trillion, it is simply irresponsible to continue 
this de facto ban on American energy protection. We need to take an 
all-of-the-above approach when it comes to our energy portfolio, an 
approach which includes developing American offshore energy resources.

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