[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 10]
[House]
[Page 14357]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      DICTATOR CHAVEZ AND U.S. OIL

  (Mr. POE of Texas asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, Venezuela's dictator Hugo Chavez is 
threatening to cut off oil supplies to the United States. Chavez 
doesn't like the fact America is friendly with Colombia. Since America 
is the biggest buyer of Venezuelan oil, Dictator Chavez thinks he has a 
say in American foreign policy.
  American dependence on foreign oil poses a national security risk. It 
makes no sense at all. And why are we paying dictators and tyrants to 
supply us with energy? We have all of the energy we need right here at 
home, but we don't produce it. American-made energy provides jobs for 
Americans--good-paying jobs, the kind of jobs that buy houses and cars 
and put kids through college.
  But the offshore jobs and money are moving to Indonesia, Egypt, 
Brazil, and Venezuela.
  The moratorium on drilling in the Gulf of Mexico threatens America's 
jobs and economy. It is a national security issue, and it gives a 
brutal buffoon dictator like Hugo Chavez dangerous influence.
  End the illogical, ill-advised, ill-conceived offshore drilling 
moratorium. It's about time.
  And that's just the way it is.

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