Drake Disappointed in Lack of Democrat Support for Bipartisan Energy Bill
Washington,
Sep 17 -
U.S. Representative Thelma Drake (R-VA) today expressed her disappointment in the lack of Democrat support for the Abercrombie-Peterson bipartisan energy bill (H.R. 6709). Last night in the House of Representatives, debate concluded on H.R. 6899, Nancy Pelosi’s energy bill and the House Republicans offered the bipartisan Abercrombie-Peterson bill as an alternative. Out of 39 Democrat cosponsors, 24 voted against their own bill.
The Abercrombie-Peterson bill would keep the federal moratorium from zero to 25 miles; give the states the option of whether to lease between 25 and 50 miles; and allow leasing 50 miles and beyond. The bill also would use revenues from offshore production to fund investment in alternative and renewable energy sources and encourage conservation.
Pelosi’s bill keeps the federal prohibition on energy production in place for the first fifty miles. It gives the states the option of opening up from 50 to 100 miles for exploration, but does not offer revenue sharing, depriving states like Virginia the incentive to actually opt in. Since 88 percent of the known oil and natural gas reserves are inside 50 miles and portions of the OCS beyond 100 miles production may not be economically viable, almost 88 percent of our natural resources would be permanently locked away. The Pelosi bill also does nothing to encourage emissions-free nuclear energy and creates renewable electricity mandates for utility providers that will likely produce huge fines that will increase the cost of energy to the taxpayer. It continues the prohibition on clean coal technology, which would create new sources of gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel from liquid coal.
“I am extremely disappointed that so many of my Democrat colleagues who worked diligently on the bipartisan Abercrombie-Peterson energy bill decided to abandon ship,” said Drake. “Congressman John Peterson and I went to Republican Leadership to convince them that offering Abercrombie-Peterson would give the House a chance to pass meaningful legislation that could become law. Instead, we are left with a bill that purposely locks up a vast majority of our resources, asks coastal states like Virginia to go without revenue sharing that other states enjoy, and does not encourage emissions-free nuclear energy. On top of that, instead of making renewable electricity a goal or creating incentives for it like Abercrombie-Peterson, the Pelosi bill mandates it with huge fines for utility providers that will be passed on to families. America needs a comprehensive energy strategy and Abercrombie-Peterson was a bill that should have passed.”
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