[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 11994]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               DRILL, BABY, DRILL? WE HAVE, BABY, WE HAVE

  (Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, some claim the solution to 
America's energy concerns is ``Drill, Baby, drill.'' Under President 
Obama, domestic oil and natural gas production increased every year, 
with the largest increase in the number of drilling rigs in American 
history. Domestic oil production last year was the highest in a decade, 
and natural gas production the highest ever in our history.
  Under President Obama, we've reduced foreign oil imports by 1 million 
barrels of oil per day. Foreign oil dependence was 60 percent of U.S. 
consumption in 2005 under Bush. It's dropped to 49 percent in 2010 
under Obama, and is now on pace to fall to 36 percent, reversing trends 
since the Nixon Presidency. By 2020, U.S. oil production will be up 11 
percent, rivaling the largest producer in the world, Saudi Arabia.
  Under this President, U.S. oil production and exploration are 
booming, while foreign oil imports are plummeting.
  The U.S. consumes 21 percent of the world's energy but contains 2 
percent of proven oil reserves. That's why it's so imperative we follow 
President Obama's lead and pursue multiple sources of energy to meet 
our ever-expanding needs.
  So to those who say, ``Drill more,'' President Obama can respond, 
``We have, Baby, we have.''

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