Energy & Environment

I truly believe that nuclear energy is a viable energy source that has been neglected for too long.  We need to have a responsible debate about it.  We are just frozen in time on this issue.

The Outer Continental Shelf agreement compromises legislative points without compomising principles. The states retain control up to 100 miles offshore. The agreement moves us toward energy independence in a manner that respects the environment and honors the right of the states to permit or prohibit drilling along their coasts.

Since President Bush has proposed new nuclear development as a signature part of his energy policy, we must ensure that the NRC's safety procedures are foolproof and that they deter future incidents. Since the Reactor Oversight Process was implemented in 2000, safety inspections found that plants or employees had failed to comply with safe operating procedures in over 4,000 instances. And while many of those incidents were classified as "green," under this system, green doesn't mean all clear - it means that a plant or an employee failed to meet the NRC's safety standards.

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Roughly two dozen OCS (Outer Continental Shelf)-related energy bills have been introduced in this Congress. The Deep Ocean Energy Resources (DOER) Act is a hybrid of these bills, making it the most comprehensive, balanced and forward-thinking approach proposed to date. The current one-size-fits-all federal framework locks away massive amounts of desperately-needed energy resources and will not withstand the pressures of economic necessities much longer. It does not allow states that wish to produce off-shore energy for the nation the ability to do so, nor does it give states that wish to continue off-shore production bans any real assurance they will be able to so for the long term. The DOER Act is a commonsense compromise that rectifies this imbalance. It creates a flexible framework that balances the interests of different states by putting the states themselves in the driver's seat with unprecedented authority over their coastal resources.  Energy is the lifeblood of our economy.  Producing more American energy creates more American jobs, lowers prices for consumers, and strengthens our economy- goals all Members of Congress fight to achieve together.

The United States is the only developed nation in the world that arbitrarily restricts access to its off-shore energy resources. As prices continue to rise with global energy demand, this one-size-fits-all policy gets closer and closer to complete elimination. Congress must establish a commonsense, flexible framework that balances the competing interests of different states and enhances the country's ability to increase energy production at the same time.

As energy costs rise dramatically, improving our supply of renewable fuel is more important than ever. I would hope that our federal agencies could work together to protect our national security while adopting an efficient, economical, and environmentally friendly energy policy.

Yesterday, Floridians faced the first storm of the 2006 Hurricane Season. In 2005, four hurricanes slammed Florida: Dennis, Katrina, Rita, and Wilma. Many areas in our community were impacted at a time when the damage from 2004 was still lingering. This year, 4-6 major hurricanes are expected to make landfall from the Atlantic or Gulf of Mexico. All Americans need to learn from the tragedy that followed Hurricane Katrina and be well prepared in 2006.

Unfortunately, many are still not prepared. A recent mass-email poll sent from my office reveals that 46% of respondents are not fully prepared for this hurricane season.

Fortunately, Tropical Storm Alberto weakened and never gained hurricane strength. By yesterday morning, winds had dropped to about 65 mph but still caused 21,000 homes and businesses to lose power by 10 a.m.

It seems that as a whole, we may have dodged a bullet with Alberto. I hope this "warm-up" gets us all prepared for the long storm-filled summer that is ahead of us.

Our office stands with Governor Jeb Bush and state and local authorities to serve Central Floridians during any disaster.

The recent arrests of 17 Canadians charged with plotting to attack targets in and around Ontario with ammonium nitrate fertilizer-based bombs is just another compelling reason why Congress must act to regulate the ammonium nitrate fertilizer industry. A material of choice for domestic terrorists, ammonium nitrate was used in the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City that killed 168 people and has been used in terrorist bombings around the world.

The ammonium nitrate industry has acted responsibly in asking for Congress's help and they should be commended for their proactive effort to protect ammonium nitrate from being abused or stockpiled by those wishing to do America harm. I also applaud the leadership of the House Homeland Security Committee for moving this bill forward for a full committee vote. This legislation will empower the Department of Homeland Security to regulate the sale of ammonium nitrate and help keep this potentially dangerous substance out of terrorist hands.

When Congress takes the time to create an U.S. Commission and we spend millions for commissioners to hold hearings and publish a massive report detailing a crisis, you might expect us to pay attention to the results. Sadly, though the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy's final report calling for immediate action came out in 2004, and though the ocean is fundamentally linked to billions in American economic activity, Congress has paid little attention. We might have learned to see the forest for the trees, but have yet to see the ocean for the waves. Read more...

As a nation we are too dependent on foreign sources for energy, and we must begin to become more self-sufficient through increased domestic production, conservation, and reliance on alternative and renewable energy sources. My bill provides incentives for more domestic production, allows states to have more control over energy activity off their coasts, and encourages production from new energy sources. My bill helps to lower energy costs, begins to reduce dependence on foreign sources, and allows states like Louisiana to share in the benefits from energy production. Louisiana's coastlines have borne the brunt of the consequences of energy exploration for decades, and this legislation will help restore our coastlines for generations to come.