July 16, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H6653 hard for the future. This garnered (Mr. CALVERT addressed the House. (Mr. ROHRABACHER addressed the much criticism, with many suggesting His remarks will appear hereafter in House. His remarks will appear here- that it is impossible to adequately the Extensions of Remarks.) after in the Extensions of Remarks.) focus on today’s challenges if one is f f also thinking about the future. That’s The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a ENERGY SOLUTIONS what Secretary Gates believed. He even previous order of the House, the gentle- went so far as to deliver a speech where The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under woman from Ohio (Ms. KAPTUR) is rec- the Speaker’s announced policy of Jan- he disparagingly termed this concept ognized for 5 minutes. as ‘‘next-waritis.’’ Is it not the respon- uary 18, 2007, the gentlewoman from (Ms. KAPTUR addressed the House. sibility of the Secretary of Defense to Minnesota (Mrs. BACHMANN) is recog- Her remarks will appear hereafter in plan for the future defense of this Na- nized for 60 minutes as the designee of the Extensions of Remarks.) tion? the minority leader. Many mistakes that Moseley and f Mrs. BACHMANN. Mr. Speaker, I Wynne were blamed for can be laid The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a thank you for that designation of hour, squarely at the feet of the Pentagon previous order of the House, the gen- and the purpose for being here this leadership. Without a real commitment tleman from Oregon (Mr. DEFAZIO) is evening is to focus on the number one from the Secretary of Defense’ office, recognized for 5 minutes. issue that many of us are hearing from many of those problems will persist. To (Mr. DEFAZIO addressed the House. our constituents back home, and that’s ignore this trend is simply irrespon- His remarks will appear hereafter in the pain that they’re feeling over the sible. General Moseley and Secretary the Extensions of Remarks.) increase in energy prices. Wynne understood this. Unfortunately, f There are a number of us here that it led to their dismissal. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a are serving in the United States House Responsible military leaders do not have the previous order of the House, the gen- of Representatives that are hearing the luxury of focusing on the present at the ex- tleman from Indiana (Mr. BURTON) is American people, Mr. Speaker, and we pense of the future. Failure to anticipate, recognized for 5 minutes. are crying out, as our constituents are adopt and learn lies at the core of military dis- (Mr. BURTON of Indiana addressed crying out, to make sure that some- asters. Given the stakes, ‘‘next-war-it is’’ is a the House. His remarks will appear thing can be done. sacred duty, not a reason for decapitating the hereafter in the Extensions of Re- And the reason why we’re bringing leadership of the Air Force. History has taught this discussion here before this body, us repeatedly that those who solely fixate on marks.) the most magnificent body on the plan- today’s problems will be woefully unprepared f et, the floor of the United States Con- to address tomorrow’s challenges. Iraq and Af- The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a gress, where freedom reigns, we’re ghanistan are obviously important, but we previous order of the House, the gen- bringing this up here because the must also respond to global trends and realize tleman from Arizona (Mr. FLAKE) is that future wars may not always mirror our recognized for 5 minutes. United States Congress is the entity past conflicts. (Mr. FLAKE addressed the House. His that caused the current problem that We must support our military leaders who remarks will appear hereafter in the we’re under, and let me explain why. aggressively tackle the challenges of today Extensions of Remarks.) The United States Congress has made it virtually illegal to access America’s and tomorrow. Firing Moseley and Wynne for f taking this comprehensive view is simply irre- rich storehouse of energy resources. I The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a know it’s hard to believe, Mr. Speaker. sponsible and sets a disastrous precedent. In- previous order of the House, the gen- stead, we owe them a debt of gratitude for all It’s almost impossible to believe. Why tleman from California (Mr. CAMPBELL) would any group of people, especially they did to help win today’s fight and help the is recognized for 5 minutes. nation posture for the future. They understood in a country where there’s freedom, (Mr. CAMPBELL of California ad- the complex array of challenges facing the want to restrict access to energy re- dressed the House. His remarks will ap- country and I stand resolute in my support for sources? It doesn’t make any sense. pear hereafter in the Extensions of Re- continuing this encompassing approach—the So a number of us are here this marks.) nation cannot afford to consider any other op- evening because we want to talk about tion. f the possibilities that there are to have Many of the mistakes that Moseley and The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a energy independence in the United Wynne were blamed for can be laid squarely previous order of the House, the gen- States and to reach the very possible at the feet of the Pentagon leadership. Without tleman from Kansas (Mr. MORAN) is goal of getting back to having Ameri- a real commitment from the Secretary of De- recognized for 5 minutes. cans pay $2 a gallon or less. fense’s office, many of these problems will (Mr. MORAN of Kansas addressed the So, to start off this evening, I’d like persist. We cannot ask aircrews to fly in com- House. His remarks will appear here- to call on my colleague and I’d like to bat missions if their airplanes are falling out of after in the Extensions of Remarks.) defer to him, Mr. PATRICK MCHENRY the sky due to structural fatigue. We cannot f from the great State of North Carolina. afford the cost of inefficiencies within the De- The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a Mr. MCHENRY. I thank my colleague partment of Defense that is created by unnec- previous order of the House, the gen- for yielding, and Congresswoman BACHMANN, thank you for your leader- essary overlap in roles and missions. We can- tleman from New Jersey (Mr. GARRETT) not ask our Airmen to undertake missions if is recognized for 5 minutes. ship here. This is your first term in they are not supported with adequate budgets (Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey ad- Congress. To take such an active role to facilitate those missions that we as a nation dressed the House. His remarks will ap- on energy policy is very helpful, not ask them to fulfill. pear hereafter in the Extensions of Re- just for Minnesotans but for the rest of To ignore these trends is simply irrespon- marks.) the country as well. Thank you, and sible and could prove devastating for the na- thank you for hosting this hour as tion. It takes an immense amount of time, f well. planning, and resources to posture for these The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a I think it’s important that the Amer- challenges and we will not have the luxury of previous order of the House, the gen- ican people understand what’s hap- any of these elements when what was once a tleman from Virginia (Mr. WOLF) is pening in terms of energy policy. This seemingly distant future threat becomes a crit- recognized for 5 minutes. challenge was not created overnight, ical challenge for today. General Moseley and (Mr. WOLF addressed the House. His nor will it be fixed overnight. But we Secretary Wynne understood this. Unfortu- remarks will appear hereafter in the have to take steps now to make sure nately, it led to their dismissals. Extensions of Remarks.) we have an American energy independ- f f ence day in the future. And what we The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a can do now to decrease the price at the previous order of the House, the gen- previous order of the House, the gen- pumps is to increase supply. I think tleman from California (Mr. CALVERT) tleman from California (Mr. ROHR- the American people understand the is recognized for 5 minutes. ABACHER) is recognized for 5 minutes. laws of supply and demand, but let’s

VerDate Aug 31 2005 02:21 Oct 23, 2008 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00075 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORD08\H16JY8.REC H16JY8 mmaher on PROD1PC76 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H6654 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE July 16, 2008 talk about some of the basics of en- in the United States. You know, we that I’ve outlined and that Congress- ergy. also invented drilling of oil. We in- woman BACHMANN will be talking First of all, the American people, we vented the oil derrick here in the about this evening. consume about 20 million barrels per United States. We developed the tech- Now, it’s the failure of action that day; yet we only produce roughly 6 mil- nology, even the drill bit, and every- has resulted in high gas prices. And it’s lion barrels a day of oil. Now, what thing used to produce oil was origi- high time Congress acted so we can ac- that means is we have to import the nally an American invention, which tually become energy independent as majority of our oil. Now, that’s a dan- brings me to the next phase here. Americans. gerous position to be in. We have to use American ingenuity Thank you, Congresswoman Two of the largest countries we have to go that next step beyond oil, to go BACHMANN. to import oil from are Venezuela and that next step beyond natural gas. We Mrs. BACHMANN. I thank the gen- Saudi Arabia. We know through Hugo can do that. The American people, we tleman. I appreciate, Congressman Chavez in Venezuela that they’re not have brilliant minds here, brilliant MCHENRY, your passion, your work on allies. We also know through terrorist minds. We have to unleash those bril- the issue, particularly the work that attacks around the world that the liant minds on this challenge that we you are doing offering that spectacular Saudi Arabians are not allies either, have in an oil-powered economy, and prize. though they may say it. we have to break this monopoly that One thing that we do understand and Now, this puts us at great risk, not oil has on all that we do as Americans. know in the depth of our bones is that just in terms of our national security And the way we do that, I have a American innovation has never died, it because we have to import the fuel piece of legislation called the Inde- has always been alive and well. And from overseas, but it’s also a matter of pendence Prize. It’s a $1 billion prize when you hold that tremendous carrot economic security, which we’re facing for a private sector innovation for an out there, we know the American peo- right now. American company to produce an ple can deliver, Mr. Speaker. That has And folks from Western North Caro- American idea that makes us energy been proved generation after genera- lina where I represent, they’re hurting. independent as Americans. How won- tion. Every generation has been pre- The American people are hurting. derful is that? We could unleash the sented with a crisis. We’re in an economy fueled by oil. It private sector on a large public policy Today, in the United States, this means that every product delivered to issue and thereby take that next step Special Order hour and the speakers market has to be on a truck, a plane, a away from oil and natural gas to some who will be speaking now during this train, some sort of oil-powered trans- future form of energy. time are addressing the number one portation. Now, until that day comes, when we challenge of our age. And the great Now, that’s a risky position we have have some new American idea to power thing is the fact that we have an an- to be in. So what we have to do now are our economy, we must make sure that swer. It’s entirely possible to solve this take positive steps to increase Amer- we have energy exploration and refin- crisis. And we know the formula: It’s ican energy production. How do we do ing here. We also have to make sure explore here in America. Do it now so that? Well, we have to streamline the that we use coal. We also have to make that the American people can get back process for licensing so that the oil sure we use nuclear power. We have to to paying $2 a gallon for gas or less. companies can go out and actually ex- use the resources that God gave us here It’s entirely possible, and it can be plore areas within Federal control, for in the United States. done. instance, off the Outer Continental That’s why so many of us are excited. 2045 Shelf. That’s an area in the deep wa- b This coming weekend the Republican ters off the coasts of North Carolina, And if we do that, we can be energy leader, JOHN BOEHNER, will be hosting a across the eastern seaboard, off the independent. trip with about 10 freshmen, and we coast of Texas and the gulf coast re- But we have to have the will of the will be doing an American energy tour. gion. It’s also off the west coast as American people behind us. In the most On that tour, we will have a chance to well. recent poll, 73 percent support Outer go to Golden, Colorado to take a look We have large supplies of oil that Continental Shelf drilling and energy at the national alternative energy lab- have been taken off-line due to con- exploration. Now, that means the oratories, where we can find some of gressional action. These areas have American people are behind more en- the ideas of the next generation, inno- been off-line for energy exploration and ergy exploration. The American people vation that is yet to come on energy production. So that means that we also want wind and solar and biomass use and independence. And from there can’t get oil out of those areas; though, and all sorts of alternative energy we will go up to Alaska, to ANWR, we know oil is there. sources to power our economy. And we where there are proven reserves. We also have areas like remote areas should do all of those things. To speak out more on ANWR tonight, of Alaska, for instance, that are off- Now, my strategy, and I think the I’ve asked, and he has accepted, the line for energy exploration and produc- conservative solution—and the Amer- Representative from western Iowa, tion. We also have a resource called oil ican solution, better yet—is to do all of Representative STEVE KING, who has shale in the Rocky Mountain West. We the above when it comes to energy. It’s been to the ANWR region of Alaska, have three times the reserves of Saudi a massive problem. We have to have a who has been there, who knows the Arabia tied up in oil shale. We have oil massive answer to this by taking every value of energy independence. here in the Rocky Mountain West that answer possible and pursuing them all. Before I yield to my brother, I want we just need to be able to tap, but Con- We’re a great Nation, the strongest to just highlight today in the Financial gress has made a law preventing us economy in the world, though we’re Services Committee—of which I am a from doing so. facing enormous challenges right now member and of which Congressman Now, you can see and the American brought on by high gas prices and some MCHENRY, who was here speaking be- people can understand and do the math other challenges. But with the power fore myself, is also a member—we had here; yet it’s congressional action that we have of the American people, the occasion to have the Federal Re- that’s preventing us from being inde- by American ingenuity we can be en- serve Chairman, Mr. Ben Bernanke, in pendent when it comes to energy, espe- ergy independent. We can increase sup- front of the committee today. And for cially oil. ply of oil in the meantime to bring all of us this was an enlightening mo- We also have challenges with natural down the price of gas at the pumps. ment because the Federal Reserve gas, but going through all this, we un- I’m so grateful that my colleague, Chair stated without blinking an eye derstand that we have to increase Congresswoman BACHMANN, is hosting today in committee, he said, ‘‘A 1 per- American production of oil. this hour to ensure that the American cent increase in supply of energy’’— In World War I, we produced 67 per- people can hear directly what we’re American energy—‘‘could lower prices cent of the world’s oil, during World facing here in Congress. And it is the by as much as 10 percent.’’ War I. Less than 100 years ago, we pro- liberal Democrat-controlled Congress Mr. Speaker, this is the Chairman of duced two-thirds of the world’s oil here that refuses to bring up legislation the Federal Reserve Board, who told

VerDate Aug 31 2005 02:21 Oct 23, 2008 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00076 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORD08\H16JY8.REC H16JY8 mmaher on PROD1PC76 with CONG-REC-ONLINE July 16, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H6655 our Committee on Financial Services rate because they talked to a botanist vironmentalists stuck some court in- that if you increase the source of who alleged that there was a tiny little junctions on it and they were success- American supply by even 1 percent, sliver of plant that grows within the ful for 2 years in keeping us out of you can lower the price at the pump by tundra that doesn’t get more than 10 to there. 10 percent. Well, Mr. Speaker, the Re- 12 inches tall that technically could be But when they started that, there publicans in the United States House of considered a tree, not one you could were 7,000 caribou on the North Slope Representatives want to increase cut a log out of, not one you could of Alaska running around out there, American supply vastly more than by 1 climb, not one that a squirrel would eating the Arctic tundra grass that was percent. We can do that, and we can recognize as a tree, but according to a there. And then we went ahead and get back to $2 a gallon of gasoline. botanist, a tree just the same. So I started building the pipeline in 1972 So now I would like to take the op- guess you could say that maybe there and completed it in 1975—and perhaps portunity, Mr. Speaker, to yield to my are some trees in ANWR, but they I’ll go back to that. And then we colleague, the esteemed Representative aren’t as tall as the tundra grass. And watched that caribou herd that went STEVE KING from western Iowa, on the that’s all that you’ll see out there for from 7,000 head of caribou in 1970 to— issue of ANWR. millions and millions of acres. about 3 years ago when I did this trip Mr. KING of Iowa. I thank the Part of it’s the Brooks Range, a lot and we had the count—28,000 caribou on gentlelady from Minnesota. Thanks for of it is mountainous, mountainous bare the North Slope of Alaska. Well, that organizing this Special Order and stone with snow that’s on it 12 months would convince me that the environ- thanks for taking a leadership role on out of the year 24 hours a day. But ment, if there was any damage up this energy issue and a number of other we’re talking about drilling in the oil there, surely it didn’t damage the re- issues and establishing yourself here in deposits in the Arctic Coastal Plain. productive capabilities of the caribou. And I made that statement to a re- the United States Congress. The Arctic Coastal Plain of the Arctic porter one day, and he said, well, of The issue of ANWR is something that National Wildlife Refuge people imag- course there’s a lot of caribou on the I’ve talked about some in the past. And ine as just teeming with caribou and North Slope of Alaska, that’s because I will try to confine my discussion to arctic wolves or fox or whatever they the pipeliners shot all the wolves. Now, ANWR, the Arctic National Wildlife have up there, all of this teeming with you’ve got to be a little bit off on the Refuge. wildlife because they’ve given it a other side to come to an immediate And I will start this way: A couple or name called the Arctic National Wild- 3 years ago I was at the Iowa State conclusion like that. life Refuge. And I can tell the gentlelady from Fair where they asked us, as elected Well, ladies and gentlemen, and Mr. Minnesota and the Speaker, I can tell representatives, to give a 20-minute Speaker, there are 19.6 million acres in you that that aim that he took was speech while the press listens to the 20- ANWR. Most of it is mountainous—and way off the mark on pipeliners shoot- minute speech, then they write some we don’t want to go in there, you ing all the wolves that would have stories about what we said and we get couldn’t get a drill rig in there any- eaten the caribou and held the herd into the news. So Members of Congress way. We want to drill the Coastal down to 7,000 head. That didn’t happen. line up there and candidates line up. Plain. The Coastal Plain is just a flat It didn’t happen by the pipeliners be- And I drug a bale of straw down to coastal plain, pretty close down near cause I was signed up to go up on that stand on. sea level. It undulates a little bit, and pipeline. And I can tell you what it And so I was standing there on a bale it has permafrost all of 10 months out paid, it was $9.75 an hour in 1972. And of straw at the Iowa State Fair, and I of the year. And then when it thaws we worked seven 14-hour days of the began to tell people about ANWR, the and when the sun shines and the mid- week, and we did that for six weeks. We Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. And night sun shines on it, it will penetrate got 2 weeks off. I didn’t get to go be- one of the things that I said was, there down through the permafrost a foot to cause of the court injunction—I was ac- are no trees in ANWR. And if you’ve 18 inches, something like that. tually signed up in 1970—the court in- seen a commercial, perhaps a commer- And so we hear people like Senator junction shut down my travels up cial published by the Sierra Club, that TOM HARKIN say, I went to ANWR and there. So that was the situation. shows or imagines a pristine alpine for- I camped up in ANWR and I floated a And that was a lot of money in 1972. est, if you see a picture of a pristine al- river in ANWR—now I didn’t see any They had to pay that kind of money, pine forest and people are telling you rivers there, but I take him at his $9.75 an hour, then because here were we can’t drill in ANWR, I can guar- word—he floated a river in ANWR, and the rules: We’re going to hire men to antee you it’s not a picture of ANWR. he could dip his cup into the water and go up there and build these roads and It’s not a picture of the Arctic Na- take a drink. And he thinks that’s these pipelines and drill these wells tional Wildlife Refuge. pretty nice and we ought to keep it and open up this oil field. And the rules The first thing we need to remember that way. are this; first rule is, no women. You is that ‘‘arctic’’ means up in that area Well, it still is that way. You can have to pay a man a lot of money to go north of the Arctic Circle. The defini- float the rivers on the North Slope of someplace where there are no women. tion of the Arctic Circle is—go back to Alaska and dip your cup in the water Second thing, no booze. And I’ll add a your eighth grade general science, Mr. and drink them and they’re just as little more to the per-hour scale of Speaker, and ladies and gentlemen, clean and pristine as they ever were. I that. Third thing, no gambling. Well, where we learned in about eighth grade would be a little worried about the it’s pretty tough when you’ve got noth- that the Arctic Circle is that circle polar bears walking through it, a little ing to do up there, with no booze and around the globe north of which trees worried about what the salmon do in no women, to do anything but gamble. can’t grow. And so, by definition, if it’s it, but nonetheless, if you choose to The fourth thing was, no guns. So if the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, drink out of that river it’s going to be there’s no women, no gambling, no there are no trees up there. as safe for you today as it was 50 years booze and no guns, there were no And so, in any case, there was a ago or 100 years ago. But that’s no rea- pipeliners shooting any wolves on the trucker standing in the crowd that son to deprive the United States of North Slope of Alaska. Therefore, one began to scream at me, ‘‘liar, liar’’— America of energy. could conclude, short of another one of which is no way to treat a public serv- And so, the Coastal Plain of the Arc- those crazy explanations, that the car- ant. And I was ready to come down off tic National Wildlife Refuge, for exam- ibou thrived with the new environment of that bale of straw and deal with him ple, the North Slope of Alaska, which that they had, which allowed them to like the boys who grew up in the corn we’ve already developed, has a caribou get up out of that ice cold water, where fields, but in the end I convinced some herd there—actually, it has several of they were dropping their calves during other folks to go down there and do them scattered around. In fact, in 1970, calving time, and up on the dry near what I would do if I didn’t have to give when we began to open up the North the Alaska Pipeline, where it’s warm, the speech. Slope of Alaska and they said, you’ll too. And the paper wrote up a story about destroy this environment, and so we So what we have is this: We’ve devel- how Steve King wasn’t entirely accu- can’t go up there and drill. And the en- oped the North Slope of Alaska. We did

VerDate Aug 31 2005 02:21 Oct 23, 2008 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00077 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORD08\H16JY8.REC H16JY8 mmaher on PROD1PC76 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H6656 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE July 16, 2008 that from 1972 until 1975. We built a we dropped them on Hiroshima and Na- Mrs. BACHMANN. I thank the gen- 600-mile road from Fairbanks North to gasaki in 1945. Three plus years to do tleman for yielding back. get up there to Prudhoe Bay and the Manhattan Project. We are excited about being able to go Deadhorse access—milepost zero of the And then, what else was amazing? up there this coming weekend. And Alaska Pipeline—to build an 800-mile Let’s see. It was in 1963, when John F. just think, here we are at the end of pipeline from Deadhorse on the Arctic Kennedy said, hey, let’s go to the July. The end of July. And when we Ocean down to the Port of Valdez, Moon. That little nudge that he gave in had our briefing this afternoon, what drilled a bunch of wells up there, sunk that important speech inspired Amer- we were told is that essentially we the casings down, cemented the casings ica and NASA, and 6 years later we’re should be taking with us a waterproof and put pumps down in those casings. on the Moon with Neal Armstrong. One down parka. So this is not necessarily You can fly over that area today, the giant step and we’re on the Moon, 6 an area where we are going to find North Slope of Alaska, the identical years. tourists lying on a beach. There prob- environment and topography of ANWR, ably couldn’t be a better square foot- b 2100 and I can take DENNIS KUCINICH up age area on the planet to drill than the there, my friend, and I would have to And they are telling us that we can’t ANWR area. And I know the freshmen point to him and say, here’s a well, build 74 miles of pipeline from Prudhoe that are going look forward to having here’s a well. He wouldn’t recognize Bay, Deadhorse access, east over into another Special Order when we come them from the air, even flying along at ANWR and hook onto some wells that back, Mr. Speaker, so we can report to about 4,000 feet or less, because, first of we would sink down and not get oil the American people on our findings. all, there are no derricks up there, not coming out for a decade or two until Before I yield to the gentlewoman one. There are only six drill rigs work- another generation has come and gone? from Ohio, I just wanted to mention ing in Alaska now because of the envi- That’s a defeatist attitude. That’s not that one argument that we have been ronmental lawsuits that have shut the America I know. hearing a lot from the Democrats who them down. And so you’ll have a hard And there is no argument that the are in charge of Congress—the Demo- time finding a drill rig, there won’t be environment was damaged on the crats control the agenda both in the derricks in the North Slope. North Slope or they would have House and in the Senate. And it’s real- And when you think of the pump brought up posters here and put this on ly mind bending to think that the jacks, the traditional oil well pumps the floor over and over again. Democrats have taken virtually no ini- that have the counterweight that chug So we need to drill ANWR. We need tiative whatsoever to add even one new around, they aren’t up there either. So to drill the Outer Continental Shelf. drop of oil into the American pipeline unless you’re an expert, you’re not We need to drill the nonnational park nor one new watt of electricity. It’s ab- going to even see where the wells are. public lands. And we need to drill ev- solutely true. There has been complete But if you look real close and you erywhere all the time. It’s not an envi- inertia on the part of increasing Amer- know what you’re looking for, you will ronmental issue. The issue is people ica’s energy supply. see these work over pads that I judge that want to ride bicycles instead of What have we heard from the Demo- to be about 50 feet wide and maybe 100 drive cars, that’s the people on that crats? We have heard for a catcall from or 125 feet long, big enough to bring a side of the aisle that are shutting down them that 68 million acres that are rig up on if you need to pull the pump our access to energy. leased out right now to companies that out. And it’s a pad of white rock, I thank the gentlewoman from Min- want to produce energy in America maybe three feet thick or so, and they nesota. that apparently, according to Demo- use that in the wintertime, come in on Mrs. BACHMANN. Thank you, Rep- crats, they’re just sitting on that land. an ice road if they need to work on a resentative KING, for your firsthand Well, now, first of all, that doesn’t well, and go in and pop the cap off and eyewitness experience of the ANWR make sense. My husband and I are busi- go down and start pulling the pump area. I know the freshmen that are ness owners. One thing business owners pipe out, they go down and pull out a planning to go this weekend can’t wait don’t do because there’s not a lot of submersible pump from down there, to get that same bird’s-eye view. margin, there’s not a lot of fluff or pad- work the pump over, put in a new one, Mr. KING of Iowa. Will the gentle- dling left in your business budget, you drop it in, get the well going again. But woman yield for just a moment? don’t just buy assets and leave them to there is not a pump sitting above the Mrs. BACHMANN. Yes, I would be not produce. It’s a nonsensical argu- surface of the North Slope of Alaska happy to. ment from the Democrats. When that I could find. There may be some Mr. KING of Iowa. Thank you. I had they’re saying that there are 68 million out there that I couldn’t see. forgotten that you’re going, and I am acres that are being leased, recognize, So what we’ve done is, in a very envi- so glad that you’re going up there to as the people, and your Federal Gov- ronmentally friendly fashion, gone into see it for yourself. ernment, Mr. Speaker, deal with on- identical environment and topography Now, when you get in that 19-pas- shore and offshore leases, they told me on the North Slope of Alaska, devel- senger twin-engine Grumman and you this: They said, Representative BACH- oped an oil field with 1970s technology, fly out of Deadhorse and you fly over MANN, every single acre is leased, and built a pipeline 800 miles long, built a to Kaktovik, ask that pilot to get down every single acre is in the current road 600 miles long to get up there, real low and have everybody on that range of exploration. It takes so long built a service road alongside that plane looking for wildlife. We did that. to permit. And then the Federal Gov- pipeline part of the time—and most of We zigzagged around across the Coastal ernment allows 11 different points in that’s ice roads today—got all of that Plain looking for the wildlife. the permitting process where lawsuits done from ’72 to ’75, and pumped oil. I forgot to tell you there is no resi- can be filed against the people who And yet I stand on the floor of this dent caribou herd in ANWR. They live want to produce energy. So these en- Congress and I hear people on the other in Canada. They come over to have ergy producing wannabes are in a very side of the aisle, you and you stand up their calves mid-May until mid-June. difficult position of putting their cap- and say, well, it’s going to take 10 When the calves can walk, they go ital on the table, their money on the years to get oil out of ANWR. And the back. It’s a kind of migrant maternity table to try to drill for energy, and at other night it was 20 years to get oil ward is what it is. They go back to the same time they have to wait for out of ANWR. Canada and live over there, and they’re these artificial timelines to expire for And so I look at that and I think, doing fine. So this is after mid-June. a permitting process and they have to wait a minute, we had the Manhattan So fly around out there and look deal with these nonstop lawsuits. It’s Project. We started after the beginning around for wildlife. What we found amazing anyone wants to go into the of World War II to build an atom bomb, when we looked were four musk oxen business. And yet, unfortunately, this a series of them, figure out how to de- standing there with their heads down. is the only thing that our colleagues on liver them and how to penetrate the air They wouldn’t have known if they were the other side, the Democrats, have defenses of Japan. We built the atom standing next to an oil well or not ei- come up with as an excuse on drilling. bombs, we flew them over Japan and ther. It doesn’t make any sense to me. I’m

VerDate Aug 31 2005 02:21 Oct 23, 2008 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00078 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORD08\H16JY8.REC H16JY8 mmaher on PROD1PC76 with CONG-REC-ONLINE July 16, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H6657 sure, Mr. Speaker, it makes no sense to ments especially are hard hit with the plete the task and do ours. But, unfor- the people who are watching tonight. pain because their ability to garner tunately, this new Congress, with its So I would like to yield to the gentle- dollars for their governments are so re- Democratic leadership, lacks the will woman from Ohio, Mrs. JEAN SCHMIDT, stricted. When you just think about po- to do just that. for her comments now on energy. lice departments and how much fuel It is the middle of July, and we have Mrs. SCHMIDT. I want to thank the they use and how much of their budget done nothing to address this situation. gentlewoman from Minnesota for pro- is now eaten up with the price of fuel, Why aren’t we looking at drilling and viding us this hour for a commonsense what kind of decisions are they having not just drilling but looking at wind, view on the energy situation and for to make in order to meet their fuel solar, hydrogen, nuclear, all those my colleague from Iowa for his bird’s- costs? things that will help us reduce the de- eye perspective of what it is actually It’s not just the police departments. mand for foreign oil and increase the like in Alaska. Think about your road departments. supply of energy here in the United Behind me it says $2 a gallon. I wish When you put asphalt on the ground, States? I could say that it was a long time ago that’s petroleum based, and so now My dear friend from Minnesota, the that we saw $2 a gallon at the pump, you’re looking at trying to put new American public expects us to act and but it really wasn’t that long ago. And pavement on the ground. You’re look- act now. They are tired of our bick- that’s unfortunate because Americans ing at an exponential rise in the cost of ering. They’re tired of the partisan pol- are feeling squeezed as they see the that pavement. What kind of decisions itics. I thank you tonight for talking price at the pump continue to rise. are being made there? about this critical issue. I am willing You know, since the new Congress But it’s not just that part of local to roll up my sleeves. I know you are took over in January of 2006, we have government. Think about our schools willing to roll up yours. It is incum- seen an almost 70 percent increase in and how hard hit our schools are be- bent upon each and every one of us to the price of gas. So that means every cause it’s not just in keeping their do our part because we can no longer time Americans go to the pump, buses running, which is, again, fuel wait. Thank you. they’re seeing more and more of their based, but keeping the lights and heat Mrs. BACHMANN. I thank the gen- precious dollars out of their wallet on in their schools. How much of their tlewoman from Ohio, JEAN SCHMIDT, being used for their transportation budget is being eaten up in operational for her work that she has done and for costs. And this is making them make costs, costs that should be going to listening to her constituents. some really tough decisions. educating our children? I know off the floor we have talked Discretionary spending is down, But my folks in my district, espe- about the beating that your constitu- which is, in part, affecting our econ- cially the rural parts of my district, ents are taking on this issue. I know omy. Americans are feeling squeezed, are being especially hard hit, and it’s your heart is breaking for the people and some are feeling that squeeze when because we don’t have the luxury of back in your district in Ohio. You see they try to feed their family at the mass transit when you get to parts of the reality of how this is impacting table. my district like the eastern part of people. And you might ask what does food Clermont County and Brown County And you spoke about petroleum, how cost have to do with petroleum? Well, and Adams County and the rest of the petroleum is a part of every meal that it has a lot to do with petroleum. Half counties out east. So they have to rely we have. And I know that truckers in of my district is agriculture. And I on cars to get to their jobs. And when Minnesota told me that everything you hear from farmers that the cost of pro- you look at folks in Adams County and have on your table takes about on av- ducing their crops, their grain, their Brown County and you look at their erage 1,200 miles in a truck or in some cattle is rising exponentially. average commute to and from work, form of transportation to get to that Mrs. BACHMANN. Reclaiming my it’s not surprising to see them go over table. So if we haven’t seen increases time, I had the Minnesota turkey pro- 100 miles a day to and from work just in groceries, and I know in Minnesota ducers in my office just a few days ago, to put the food on their table. And we have seen increases in groceries, we and they told me that their energy when they see gas prices rising from are going to continue to see them if we prices have tripled this year in three $2.33, which was the average price of a don’t solve this problem. We can get different ways: One is in the area of gallon of gas 2 years ago, to $4.09 a gal- back to $2 a gallon gasoline. It’s en- feed. Another is the climate control lon, which is the average price today, tirely possible because we have the re- that they have to have in the turkey you can imagine what kind of a bite sources. houses. In Minnesota it gets hot and it that’s taken out of many of the folks So I thank you for your fervor on gets cold. And then the third is on the in my district. this issue. And I know one thing: Had transporting of the birds both to and It is our responsibility to address the Republicans been in control of Con- from being produced. So they said this problem and address this problem gress this year, we would have seen ac- they’re getting hit on every single now. Our folks are saying they can’t af- tion. We wouldn’t have seen inertia. level. And the Minnesota Farm Bureau ford for us to wait. They can’t afford Just like the Republican-controlled was in my office yesterday. They told for bickering and partisan politics. Congress passed measures before in me the same thing. They want us to come together and previous years to drill in ANWR. Un- It doesn’t matter which part of agri- solve this issue. And we can do that. fortunately, when those measures culture we are talking about. In Min- But it requires us to do two things, my made it to the Senate, they weren’t nesota we have a lot of agriculture. good friend from Minnesota. It means passed. The one year when both the Our farmers are feeling it, and not only increasing the supply and decreasing House and the Senate passed a bill to are our farmers feeling it, our constitu- the demand. And that’s what we can do begin drilling in ANWR, which was in ents, every time they go to the grocery and do now. 1995, unfortunately, President Bill store, are feeling it. So I thank the When most Americans are asked in Clinton chose to veto that legislation. gentlewoman for bringing up this very poll after poll, they’re willing to drill, We would have had all of that oil on- important point. drill in the Outer Continental Shelf, line and swooshing down the pipeline I yield to the gentlewoman. drill in Alaska. And they understand from Alaska down to the lower 48 so Mrs. SCHMIDT. Exactly. Because ev- that we now have technology that is that we could have had that available. erything they do to produce the food at environmentally sensitive to do this. our table has some sort of a petroleum But it’s not just drilling that will b 2115 element to it. It’s hard to remove the solve this issue. We must also decrease Mrs. SCHMIDT. If we had acted in petroleum element from the produc- demand. And Americans are doing 1995, look where we would be today. I tion of food. their part. They’re driving less. don’t think we would be in this energy But farmers are not alone in feeling They’re conserving their energy. They situation, this energy crisis that we’re the price at the pump. Governments are doing their part. They are doing in. I don’t think we would see a down- are also feeling that price, and I think what they can because they have got turn in our economy, because we would we forget about that. Local govern- strained wallets. It’s up to us to com- be relying on ourselves and not the rest

VerDate Aug 31 2005 02:21 Oct 23, 2008 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00079 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORD08\H16JY8.REC H16JY8 mmaher on PROD1PC76 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H6658 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE July 16, 2008 of the world to keep our lights on. It is that our kids can have a good college ninth largest number of manufacturing incumbent from not just a national se- education, that people can buy a home, jobs across the entire country. I have curity perspective, an economic secu- that people can make sure they can the number one agricultural district in rity perspective, but the perspective of save for their future, for their retire- the State of Ohio. I have transpor- the American public that we act and ment. tation in my district. At one point you we act now. I thank you so much for But if all we’re going to be doing is can almost be within 60 percent of the this opportunity. putting more and more dollars into an United States population in one day’s Mrs. BACHMANN. I thank the envelope and shipping it overseas, that hard drive. gentlelady. is not the future for America. It has al- So we have all these things going on. With that, I will yield to the gen- ready been stated, we have to produce But we’re not going to be producing tleman from Ohio, your colleague, Mr. and we have to conserve in this coun- food. We’re not going to stay food-inde- BOB LATTA, a new Member to this body try. But we can’t wait. And it has been pendent in this country if we don’t do as I am a new Member to the body, but talked about earlier, when President something about this right now. So the a longtime friend of liberty and an in- Clinton vetoed the bill back in 1995, we time to act is now, not later. When the dividual who understands the impor- would have 1 million extra barrels of President just the other day said that tance of American energy independ- oil flowing down here every day, 1 mil- he was going to lift the ban on his end ence. And I thank the gentleman for lion barrels. But we don’t. on offshore drilling, it is time for Con- his willingness to be a part of this hour And it’s also the naysayers saying gress to do the same. And I demand this evening. that, well, it might take time. Well, we that we start working on that to make Mr. LATTA. I thank the gentlelady don’t know how much time we’re talk- sure we get that done right now. Be- from Minnesota for this hour and for ing about. We can always say it can cause you know what happened right her leadership on this issue. It is an take 10 or 15 or 20 years. But it can off the bat, the world market said, do important issue. It is probably the take a lot less. But that is the spirit of you know what? The Americans are se- most important issue facing this Na- America. If we put our minds to it, we rious. The Americans are saying we’re tion today. Our well-being and our eco- are going to get it done. We’re in a cri- going to go out there and drill. That nomic independence relies upon it. And sis. And in a crisis, that is where Amer- price of oil is starting to go down. It’s the other Members that have spoken, ica shines. So we want to make sure down about $9 from where it was. But the gentlelady from Ohio, the gen- that we start working on this. that is because the world is thinking, tleman from Iowa and the gentleman The other thing that was mentioned hey, America might be getting serious from North Carolina all touched on by the gentlelady from Ohio, my col- about this. these major issues that we have to be league, is that when you’re talking We have all these energy resources looking at from ANWR, to drilling, to about all these groups out there, orga- out there. As has been pointed out, 10.3 making sure that we have energy con- nizations, local government and billion barrels in ANWR. And again servation in this country. schools that are being hit hard, one of we’re only talking about as the gen- So I thank the gentlelady for her the things she didn’t mention is the tleman from Iowa stated, you are talk- time here tonight and for her leader- volunteer firemen out there. We have a ing about a 2,000-acre out of a 19.5-mil- ship. The big issue really is this: The lot of volunteer fire departments lion acre area, a very small footprint people back home understand what the across my entire district. We don’t that would be confined. It would be an issue is, and Congress doesn’t. That is have a lot of departments that are area that we can make sure we get that the big issue. We have had many tele- there 24 hours a day. And a lot of these oil drilled. And we have to do it. We phone town halls that we have con- volunteers out there are now saying we have to get that oil up. We have to get ducted. The people back home, the vast don’t know if we will have enough fuel it moving. majority of that hour and a half is all to get to these fires. Because there is The Outer Continental Shelf, we are dedicated to one thing: What is Con- just not enough money. The price talking about 420 trillion cubic feet of gress going to be doing about energy in keeps going up. They are running at a natural gas. We are talking about 86 this country? We have got to be doing cash crunch. billion barrels of oil. What are we something right now. We talk about public safety out there doing? Absolutely nothing. It’s time to Why is it important? Because you that we have to worry about. And we’re start acting and start acting now, be- have to think about a few things. As we talking about those volunteer firemen cause if we don’t, it will be, well, if an- have seen in these charts and the out there that have to make sure that other year goes by, we can’t do it be- graphs tonight, when gasoline is over they get that fire truck to that fire in cause it will take that much more $4 a gallon, when diesel is over $4.69 a time. time. The time to act is absolutely gallon, we are talking energy equals The other thing happening in my dis- right now. And we have to get it done. manufacturing equals jobs. It spreads trict right now is across the entire America has so many resources at its out across the economy. And when you country. It is wheat harvest time. And disposal. But we’re not using them. are talking about spreading across the so the farmers are out there bringing We’ve talked about oil. We’ve talked economy, we have people having to pay in that wheat. But again, they’re pay- about natural gas. The other thing up more and more and more for the energy ing a lot of money to do it. And not here that has also been talked about a to put in their vehicles, energy to put only once they get the wheat harvested little earlier is oil shale. We are talk- in their trucks and tractors and to heat with the combine and with the diesel ing about 2.1 trillion barrels of oil in their homes this winter. fuel, but then they have to put it in oil shale out West. And what are we We are in trouble because we have trucks to haul that wheat to the ele- doing? Nothing. Congress has to start been told over and over that Americans vators or wherever it is going to be lifting the restrictions so that America aren’t saving enough. We’re not saving stored. So again, there is costs in- will be energy independent and get it enough. Well, if we are going to put volved over and over. It’s driving up done right now. Because if we don’t do more and watch more of our dollars go the price for all of America. We’ve got it, we can’t be held hostage by dic- overseas, and a lot of people are start- to be doing something now. We can’t tators around the world and also by ing to see the commercials, that T. wait. Middle Eastern oil. It’s time to act Boone Pickens is running right now And again, the folks back home get right now. showing how many dollars are flowing it. Congress isn’t getting it. The Demo- And as we also talk about some other out, over 65 percent or 70 percent of cratic-controlled Congress here has got things that we have in this country every gallon of oil that comes into this to realize that the American people are that we want to make sure that we country is imported that we are using, saying we have got to conserve and we keep using, we have over 24 percent or 65 percent. That is really a tough thing have got to drill. We have to make sure 25 percent of the world’s coal. And for us to be doing. that we use the assets we have in this what are we doing in this country? So we have to make sure that the fu- country to do it. And as my district Well, we don’t like coal. Well, we have ture holds that America can take care points out, according to the National an abundance of coal. We can gasify it. of itself. Because we want to make sure Manufacturers, we have about the We can liquefy it. And we can make

VerDate Aug 31 2005 02:21 Oct 23, 2008 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00080 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORD08\H16JY8.REC H16JY8 mmaher on PROD1PC76 with CONG-REC-ONLINE July 16, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H6659 sure it is done in a clean manner and Mr. WALBERG. I thank the other things we have talked about to- start utilizing it. In Ohio we have what gentlelady from Minnesota for hosting night. we call ‘‘high sulfur’’ coal. It is too ex- this hour and leading us in it. And So what are we going to do about it? pensive to use. Well, not only if we can you’re absolutely right. Michigan is Well, we don’t just talk about it. There use it in a clean system what we can do hurting. People are angry. They are are at present bills in committee that out there with that coal is in a clean fearful. They’re worried about things would do all of the above that we have system we can put more people to work that they seem to feel they have no talked about. There are five discharge that want to go out there and mine control over. And this is an issue that petitions on the floor of the House at that coal. We have other people that is number one on their mind. The bot- this point in time, one that I have of- can transport that coal. So we want to tom line is, they do not agree with the fered that would bring out of com- make sure that we have that coal out Democratic majority that says that mittee for a vote the No More Excuses there for Americans to be using and their strategy right now on lowering Energy Act that simply says get it using it today. gas prices is ‘‘to drive small cars and done, use anything that we can here in Another area is of course that we wait for the wind.’’ this country to be totally independent. have talked a little bit about earlier, That very week that that statement That has not been agreed to yet. We we talked about the alternatives, the was made, I was spending some time have another discharge on expanding supplementals. In my district alone, we back in the district, and I had the op- American refinery capacity using can talk about several things. Out my portunity to pump gas. I would walk up closed military installations. It makes back door we have the only four wind to a car in a gas station and say, hi, all good sense to get on with refinery. turbines in the State of Ohio. We can I’m Congressman TIM WALBERG, and if The third one that is on the floor is to also use those wind turbines across the you’ll allow me to pump your gas for repeal the ban on acquiring alternative country. We can start utilizing them. you, I would like to hear what you fuels like shale oil, tar sands and coal- But we also have other things in my have to say about energy, your ideas, to-liquid technology. It’s amazing we district. We have solar power produc- your comments, your concerns. won’t bring that bill to the floor to tion. We have folks out there producing And the talking points came right vote on. The people want it. and working on getting a hydrogen en- from my playbook without even indi- b 2130 gine. We have people out there working cating to them where I was standing on the issue. The people of Michigan in A fourth that is on the floor is the with ethanol, biodiesel. Coal-to-Liquid Fuel Act which makes So America has all these resources. my district that I talked to, one after all good sense because that also can be We are a great country. We can get it another, these were just general ran- dom picks at the gas station, said, we used in our fighter planes. done. And I just want to thank the And a final one that came on this need to drill now. We need to drill the gentlelady from Minnesota again for week was the Fuel Mandate Reduction Outer Continental Shelf. We need to her leadership on this and for putting Act of 2007 which says let’s suspend the drill ANWR. We need to use nuclear this hour on tonight. We have got to boutique fuels, the special blends that power. We need to conserve. We need to get this out to the American people. add additional costs when they come to use biofuels. We need to use wind, solar But it is one of those issues that the the pump. people back home are far ahead of us energy. Across the board, they get it. People in my district, which is the And so our agenda as Republicans here in Congress. And it’s time that largest ag district in the State of has been, and I think it needs to con- the people here in Washington start lis- Michigan, are frustrated with the costs tinue to be until we get relief and get tening to what the people back home that go into food and its production, the answer, agree to, that is to hold a say. and all of the above, and they are say- vote to increase the production of Mrs. BACHMANN. I thank the gen- ing the time is now, not drive small American-made energy before we go tleman from the Buckeye State, Mr. cars and wait for the wind. LATTA, for your words because you un- home for our break. It’s the only thing I know my good friend, the gen- that we ought to do. The people are derstand the answer, which the Amer- tleman from Michigan (Mr. MCCOTTER) ican people get. This is not terribly asking for it. And the leadership, Mr. has a different district than I have, but complicated. This is not difficult to Speaker, needs, needs to let us have I bet that your people are saying basi- figure out. America has made a big these votes that will allow it. cally the same thing. mistake. And it isn’t the American I talked to a lady at the gas station Mrs. BACHMANN. I yield to the gen- that I was pumping. And she first said, people that have made a big mistake. tleman from Michigan (Mr. MCCOTTER). It’s the Members of Congress that do you really want to hear my con- Mr. MCCOTTER. We all have dif- made a big mistake when they made it cern? I said absolutely. And she said, I ferent constituencies, but I think you illegal, and that’s right, the United work at the University of Michigan said something that I can’t quite agree States Congress made it illegal to ac- Hospital. I drive from Adrian, Michi- with, and that is that everybody seems cess the answer to our energy problem. gan, to Ann Arbor. And I have had to to understand this problem and what Mr. LATTA has laid that case out very choose now, and it has worked out with the solutions are. well. He has made the case. And he has the hospital that I go only 2 days a I had a friend. We used to play in a made the case that we need to change week. I work two 8-hour shifts back to band back in Detroit Rock City, and the way we’re doing business, and we back each of those days so I don’t have my brother one time loaned him my need to make it legal. And instead of to drive as much and I can spend the guitar. So it dawned on me that before being one of the biggest importers of time at home with my family. Then the statute of limitations expired, I energy, we can be the biggest exporter. she turned and she said, my daughter better go get my guitar back. Because it’s all about jobs. here is 13 years old. She was in the car So I went to see Bob. He was living in And that is why I would like to hand with her. She said, when I was 16 years his parents’ basement and he was en- out the baton now to my esteemed col- of age and got my driver’s license, on joying some goat’s milk and granola. I league from the State of Michigan, Friday nights generally I had a battle complimented him on his earth shoes Representative TIM WALBERG. Because royal with my father arguing why I and I said, ‘‘Dude, I want my guitar in the State of Michigan, Mr. Speaker, should be allowed to have the keys to back.’’ there is possibly no other State that the car to go out with my friends. And He said, ‘‘You can have it back be- compares in terms of the misery that then her face saddened as she said to cause it doesn’t make very much they have dealt with with their reces- me, my daughter won’t have that op- noise.’’ sion and with the job losses. And I portunity to argue with me, because I said, ‘‘Bob, it’s an electric guitar. think probably no one can speak to when she asks for those keys, the only You have to plug it in.’’ Bob didn’t like this better than Representative TIM answer is, we don’t have the fuel to do that because Bob believed he was get- WALBERG and also his esteemed col- that. And she said that is a part of ting electricity from the local nuclear league, THADDEUS MCCOTTER. childhood, that is a part of the teenage plant and had to make a stand even at And now I will yield to my friend, years. That is just traditional. And we the expense of no one hearing his ca- Representative TIM WALBERG. are giving that away, along with many cophony of terrible folk music.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 02:21 Oct 23, 2008 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00081 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORD08\H16JY8.REC H16JY8 mmaher on PROD1PC76 with CONG-REC-ONLINE H6660 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE July 16, 2008 He then said, ‘‘You work in Congress, ence. That is the best thing we can do today, July 16, 2008, by 10 a.m., total right?’’ for our constituents and for my friend casualties in Operation Iraqi Freedom ‘‘Yes, I do.’’ Bob. is 4,121; total number wounded in ac- ‘‘So you go up to Lansing to do I yield back. tion returned to duty, 16,901; and total that?’’ Mrs. BACHMANN. Mr. Speaker, I number wounded in action not return- ‘‘No, Bob, I go up to Washington.’’ think it is important for the American ing to duty is 3,508. He said, ‘‘I have something to tell people to understand, as incredulous as I think it is very important that we you people.’’ it sounds, the majority, which again is continue to pay close attention to that I was fascinated, so I said, ‘‘What do run by the Democrats, both in the issue of what is happening right now in you have?’’ House and in the Senate, have made a Iraq and what is happening in many of He said, ‘‘We have to get the rest of deliberate decision to do absolutely the American families that we cherish the world to like us, and we have to nothing, nothing, nothing to bring and celebrate and honor that are mili- stop our reliance on foreign oil. And we even one drop of oil or one new watt of tary families that are having to worry have to make sure that we don’t tear electricity online for the American about their loved ones in harm’s way. up America’s natural resources trying people. We have to keep that at the forefront. to drill our way out of this problem.’’ I just read this morning in my clips As you know, over the past 2 weeks I looked at Bob and I said, ‘‘Bob, I in Minnesota that energy went out in Members have been coming to the floor would rather have the world respect the afternoon. It was so hot, the de- speaking on the issue of energy. I am America, but be that as it may. You mand was so high our energy grid is happy to not only report but continue want people to like America, but you getting overloaded and we haven’t been to say it wasn’t until this Democratic have just told them you are not going building the new power plants and ex- Congress when it was elected, Mr. to buy their product because they are ploring for the new energy. Speaker, and Members, to lead on be- foreigners. This might be detrimental This is key, Mr. Speaker, for the half of the American people that once to your cause. And if you are talking American people to know. The Repub- upon a time in the 108th Congress and about not producing American oil, licans in Congress have a plan. It is 109th Congress, we talked about if where are you going to get the oil to American energy, yes. The Democrats given the opportunity to lead what we compensate for that so as supply in- have said American energy, no. We would do. creases, prices can come down?’’ want $2 a gallon gas. We can get there It is one thing in politics to talk He then said that he agreed with if we drill here, drill now, so the Amer- about if you give me a chance, this is many Democrats that we should have ican people can pay less. It’s entirely what I will do. I will go to Washington, OPEC produce more oil. possible. DC, and make this or that happen. It is I then asked Bob if he understood The Democrat plan has been drive a good thing because we have actually that OPEC is composed of foreigners less, pay more. It’s not working real moved in that direction. whose oil he no longer wanted to buy well, Mr. Speaker. People don’t like I couldn’t help but hear my col- so we could break America’s reliance that plan. They really would like to be leagues who I have a great deal of re- on foreign oil. The dazed look on his able to pay $2 a gallon gas, especially spect for, but I may disagree with from face was akin to the one that he had when they know it is possible. time to time. I can tell you in light of probably around 1983 prom night short- We are so grateful we can have this me disagreeing with them, I am just so ly before his parents took away the car opportunity tonight, so grateful. But I happy that I do have fact on my side keys for quite some time. tell you, the passion burns pretty deep and on the side of the American people The reality is we hear circular argu- in here because we know when we go because we have been trying to move ments about what needs to be done. home fairly soon for the August break, this Congress and we have done so with Bob is not an exception. Every day we have a lot of angry people on our the American people’s help in electing here on the floor of the Congress we hands at home, and they have every a Democratic majority Congress. hear every excuse in the book as to right to be angry. We are here calling But we have not been able to over- why the American people will not be on the Democrat Congress, pleading come the executive branch which is the allowed to solve the gas price problem with the Democrat Congress, listen to Bush White House. I think it is also and the energy problem. the American people. Drill here, drill important for us to understand that As Ronald Reagan once said: In this now so the American people can pay this whole issue of how we got to $4.30- instance, government is not the solu- less. something gas was not engineered by tion, government is the problem. f anyone on the Democratic side of the If the government would just get out aisle. I think the policies, the energy of the way, remove its regulations, liti- 30-SOMETHING WORKING GROUP policies that were set forth by the Bush gation, taxation, and other obstacles to The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under administration, the 2001 meeting which the production of American energy by the Speaker’s announced policy of Jan- took place in Vice President CHENEY’s entrepreneurs and allow free markets uary 18, 2007, the gentleman from Flor- part of the White House, the working to work, the supply of oil will increase. ida (Mr. MEEK) is recognized for 60 min- group on energy, the 108th Congress It will be American oil. The price will utes as the designee of the majority and the 109th Congress who worked start to stabilize as investors within leader. very hard to, and the Congress before the world markets realize that we are Mr. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I that, the Republican-led Congresses serious about attaining energy secu- want to thank you. It is always an which worked hard to follow this pol- rity. Gas prices will precipitously fall, honor to come before the House and icy that the Bush administration set and not only will the energy problem the 30-Something Working Group, run- out to please oil companies that has begin to be addressed by the very peo- ning some 5 or 6 years strong now, led us into the prices that we are pay- ple who can do it best, the American coming to the floor on behalf of the ing here today. people, you will also to start to see American people with fact not fiction. I have to lay that out, Mr. Speaker, people understand that there is no We know that in this day and time it is to get to what Democrats have done. I other alternative than to face the re- easy to be misled. And I don’t know if am going to do that very quickly be- ality that if you want energy security, it is something that someone means to cause I think I am on the side of solu- you must concomitantly reduce the bu- do or doesn’t mean to do, but it hap- tions versus argument. But for the reaucracy. pens sometimes. We take great pride in Members to understand what the solu- Again in a nutshell, if we want to not only having footnotes for what we tions should be and the direction that help our little guys and gals, get big do and what we say, but making sure we should be running in at a very fast government out of their way, allow that we have the facts to back up what pace or run or sprint is one of fact and American energy production, allow for we are sharing with the Members. not fiction. commonsense conservation, allow for Every 30-Something Working Group You would have a number of Mem- free market innovations as we transi- we start off by sharing with the Mem- bers in this Congress believe and the tion to energy security and independ- bers what is happening in Iraq. As of American people believe that with two

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