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Democrats vote against removing ban on oil shale exploration

Washington, Jun 18 -

Today House Democrats voted down a motion that would have removed the ban on exploration of oil shale on federal lands, providing further proof that they are more beholden to environmental special interest groups than Americans who are struggling to make ends meet with the unprecedented spike in oil and gas prices.  



This motion would have allowed NASA to use alternative fuels during this time of rising gas prices and invest in alternative energy sources like coal-to-liquid, oil shale and tar sands. With tax payers footing the bill for aviation fuel at $4.45 to $8.00 a gallon, this amendment would have saved millions of dollars and allowed the great minds at NASA to develop energy efficient programs that would benefit the country.



According the Department of Energy, America is sitting on more than 2 trillion barrels of oil. The U.S is the Saudi Arabia of oil shale.  Of the 700 million acres of federally owned land, only 6% is being leased for any exploration and in 2007 the Democrat Majority, for environmental reasons, attached a rider on an Appropriations bill that placed this huge domestic resource off-limits.