Energy & Environment

Instead of misleading our children with the nuclear waste version of Joe Camel, the Department of Energy should tell the truth about the real dangers of dumping toxic nuclear waste in Nevada and the real risk to communities in 43 states that will result from thousands of shipments of radioactive garbage on America's roads and railways. I am proud that more than 140 of my colleagues voted to dump Yucca Mountain Johnny and against the use of taxpayer funded propaganda to fool our children into believing that burying nuclear waste only a short drive from Las Vegas is good for Nevada families.

The domestic nuclear industry is one of wealthiest industries in the country and it has no business asking Congress for handouts paid out at the tax payers expense - that is exactly what this bill will do. Congress is essentially saying it doesn't want to let more immigrants into the country but wants to open the door for foreigners to send us their dangerous nuclear waste.

I am glad to hear the Minority Leader acknowledge we have an energy problem, but surely we can all agree that conservation alone is not the panacea.

What we require is a balance between conservation and production which puts us on a clear path to energy independence. This should be a goal of the entire Congress – that means both sides of the aisle.

Even as worldwide demand for petroleum has increased in the last decade, the growth in production has been relatively flat. The inevitable result is higher prices at the gasoline pump – which is exactly where we are today.

The reality is that it takes time to go from an oilfield to the gas station. And because of opinions like the Minority Leader, we have lost considerable time in this regard.

And his delay hurts Americans in their pocketbook.

In 1995 in the 104th Congress, H.R. 2491 would have allowed oil exploration in ANWR. The Department of Energy has estimated that between 1 and 1.3 million barrels of oil a day could be derived from this source.

Unfortunately, this legislation was vetoed by President Clinton.

That was over 10 years ago. And given a timeline of 7 to 14 years for building the pipeline structure, it is time that we could scarcely afford.

I have been to ANWR. The vast coastal plain is unsuitable for habitation during the summer months because of its marshy consistency. Any caribou unlucky enough to calve in this region would likely die from exsanguination at the hands of the mosquitoes there.

The people in ANWR are counting on this Congress to do the right thing and allow them, the rightful owners of these mineral rights, to begin developing the resources that are granted to them upon statehood in 1959.

Republicans in Congress claim that drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge would cure America's addiction to oil, but the facts speak for themselves. We cannot drill our way to energy independence. Drilling in the Arctic would provide only a six-month supply of oil that would not be available for ten years. At best, it would put more money in the pockets of the oil companies at a time when they are enjoying record profits. At worst, it will threaten the habitat for more than 200 species who call the pristine wilderness home. The road to energy independence does not lead to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Congress should be working to pass a real energy plan that invests in alternative energy sources and creates jobs here at home.

Learn more about Energizing America at http://www.HouseDemocrats.gov/.

The Do-Nothing Congress of 1948 is about to be replaced as the most ineffective Congress in recent times. Today, just as in 1948, the American people are looking to Congress to tackle some very important issues----the war in Iraq, rising gas prices, rising college and health care costs, the economic uncertainty resulting from the outsourcing of high-paying American jobs and a record deficit that continues to spiral out of control.There is so much that this Congress could be working on right now, but House Republicans refuse to address any of these concerns. In fact, it's difficult to address the concerns of the American people when Congress is never in session.

I'm sure the American people will be shocked to hear that this is only the 36th day the House is scheduled to hold votes this year. With only 57 scheduled voting days until adjournment, the House is now on track to meet 15 days less than the first Do-Nothing Congress of 1948. No wonder the American people are so disgusted with Congress.

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The House passed the Forest Emergency Recovery and Research Act, [HR:4200], a bill to establish new procedures to expedite projects for rehabilitating federal land after fires, floods, or other disasters. The bill would require the Interior and Agriculture departments to develop prompt response plans for lands they manage. Timber harvesting would be allowed on damaged land when trees are dead, likely to die within five years, or must be removed for public safety. The departments could assist state and local governments in restoring non-federal land after a disaster. The bill passed 243-182 without my support.

 

The fiscal year 2007 budget resolution, [HCR:376], passed the House 218-210, with my support. This bill would allow up to $872.8 billion in discretionary spending for fiscal year 2007, plus $50 billion for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. It would call for mandatory spending cuts of $6.8 billion over five years and tax cuts totaling $448 billion over five years. Defense discretionary spending would increase by 7 percent over fiscalyear 2006, to $460.2 billion, not counting a $50 billion war set-aside, non-defense discretionary spending would remain at $419.4 billion.

 

It is important that Congress pass a budget as a benchmark of fiscal discipline. I was pleased to vote for this bill as we begin to consider appropriations bills for this fiscal year. Although this bill was not perfect, I have pledged to work with my colleagues to make sure that education, health, and other social programs get the funding that they need. These are the programs that affect our communities at the core and need to be prioritized.

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There is no free market in oil and gas. The OPEC cartel and the growing concentration of power in the oil industry have strangled competition. Mergers have turned 34 major oil companies into 13, and fifteen refining companies into seven. The lack of real competition means that companies can more easily manipulate supply and price. Not surprisingly, this is reflected in the record profits at oil companies like Exxon Mobil. The government needs to go after those who are truly responsible: the hugely profitable oil companies, the OPEC cartel, and speculators. We should impose a windfall profits tax, pass legislation to make gouging of consumers a crime, subject all oil trading to the same regulation as other commodities, and force the administration to break up the OPEC cartel. We need long-term solution as well. I support H.R. 4409, a bipartisan bill that would require a reduction in consumption and focus on conservation and alternative fuels. 

 

The "Refinery Permit Process Schedule Act" will do nothing to affect gas prices or reduce our dependence on foreign oil. The implication that efforts to expand our national refinery capacity have been prevented or impeded by the environmental permitting process is just plain wrong. Even the CEOs of Shell and Conoco have stated that environmental regulations are not impeding their refinery building decisions. By focusing exclusively on oil drilling options as a cure-all for our nation's energy challenges, the Republican Leadership is neglecting it's duty to work on forward-looking policy ideas for improving CAFE standards and moving to cleaner, renewable fuels. Oil is not the answer.

(The Shell and Conoco CEO statements were at a Nov. 2005 joint hearing before the Senate Committees on Energy and Natural Resources, and Commerce, Science and Transportation.)

The lack of refinery capacity is one of the major effects on high gas prices, as was evident after Hurricane Katrina. Allowing a federal coordinator to set timelines for federal agencies involved in the permitting process would help eliminate some of the time-consuming delays. The refinery permitting bill could also help locate a biofuels or coal-to-liquid refinery.

There is no logical reason to oppose safe energy exploration and production on ANWR's northern coastal plain. It is not a silver bullet solution to America's energy problems, but it represents one of the biggest pieces to the simple supply and demand equation that seems to have puzzled Washington liberals for more than a decade. The fact of the matter is America needs more American-made energy. My bill will deliver that and more.