Energy Independence

Everyone says they are for energy independence, but environmental radicals loudly, but unfortunately effectively, oppose any and every type of natural resource production in this Country. They do not want us to drill for any oil, dig for any coal, cut any trees, or produce any natural gas. Their propaganda methods have driven up the prices of all these products and have destroyed jobs and have really hurt poor and lower income and working people. They have greatly helped foreign energy producers. Now the majority party is pushing a bill called the Energy Policy Reform and Revitalization Act of 2007. Despite its wonderful sounding title, this bill would make energy even more expensive in this Country.

One of my committees is the National Resources Committee. James L. Martin, President of the 60-Plus Association for seniors, testified at a hearing on this bill: "I’ve testified at hearings in Virginia, Texas, and in New Jersey, on the need for deep sea exploration. When seniors are told that drilling platforms are so far out in the ocean you can’t see them even with binoculars…they then ask why we aren’t drilling." He added that China is drilling for oil in partnership with Cuba just 40-60 miles off the coast of Florida "and with the ability to apply ‘snake drilling’ the question arises, is Cuba stealing our resources which under present policy we are not allowed to develop… It’s a perverse policy we practice in the U.S., not allowing development of our resources while other countries dig and drill and develop theirs, then we buy them!" Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii) said in a speech on the House Floor: "We are losing our manufacturing base.

We are losing our ability to farm, while rich, elite people in this Country that support some of these environmental Taliban organizations are out there with propaganda that is trying to say that some of us that are trying to get to energy independence are the ones that are causing the difficulty."