Rep. Calvert: Democrats Fail to Provide Meaningful Energy Solutions

Dear Friends,

Only a week remains before Congress adjourns for the year and on Tuesday the Democratic Leadership forced an energy bill through the House that fails on many levels. A prominent Democratic Senator described the Democrat bill, H.R. 6899, “Dead on arrival.” 

Below is a side-by-side comparison of the Democratic and Republican Energy Bills:

I support an “all-of-the-above energy” solution that increases the production of American-made energy, including offshore energy. The Democrat bill does nothing to increase production of nuclear power, nothing for hydropower, and nothing to increase refinery capacity. This bill is a sham and it is unconscionable that Speaker Pelosi is planning to adjourn the House before providing meaningful energy reform.

I am a co-sponsor of the “all-of-the-above” Republican alternative, the American Energy Act (H.R. 6566) and on July 17, 2008, I introduced the MORE Act, H.R. 6529. Under the MORE Act, states will receive 75% of the royalties for oil and natural gas production beyond 25 miles off their coastline and the U.S. Treasury would receive the remaining 25%. If states elect to allow exploration and production within 25 miles of their coastline, then their share of the royalties would increase to 90%. At 25 miles from the coast, no evidence of energy exploration is visible from land under any condition. 

If we are serious about developing our own resources, we must provide a strong incentive to states to allow environmentally safe drilling off their coastlines. Under the MORE Act, the state of California could potentially receive billions of dollars in royalty revenue that could be used to fund education, law enforcement, state parks and many other vital programs for our state. 

Unfortunately the will of the majority of Americans, and Californians, is being ignored by Speaker Pelosi who refuses to allow for domestic development of our own resources. 

Sincerely,

KEN CALVERT

Member of Congress