Congressional Moratorium on Offshore Drilling Expired
Thornberry says it’s an Important Step Toward Greater Energy Security

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Mac Thornberry (R-Clarendon) today issued the following statement on the expiration of the 26-year-old ban on offshore drilling:

“There is no one solution to our energy crisis. While the lifting of this moratorium is an important step towards greater energy security, we must continue to fight for a permanent fix to our energy problem that produces more energy of all kinds and eliminates the many hoops that one has to jump through in order to begin drilling,” Congressman Thornberry said.

On October 1, 2008, the current prohibitions on energy leasing on most of the Outer Continental Shelf and on oil shale leasing on federal lands will expire. While this is a big change for offshore exploration, there are still many hurdles that make obtaining an oil lease a long, expensive process.

“Energy is at the heart of the economic strain that American families are feeling right now. The high cost of energy has driven the cost of everything up- from the price of milk at the grocery store to price of heating ones home. I have supported, and will continue to support, legislation that eliminates the many bureaucratic hurdles that one has to go through in order to begin drilling and limit lawsuits that can prevent drilling at all,” Congressman Thornberry said.

“This is one important step in the right direction and many more are needed,” Congressman Thornberry concluded.