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Democrats May Cancel American Energy Freedom Day
Draft government spending bill creates new permanent bans on offshore drilling and oil shale, 39 Senators have pledged to stop them

September 23, 2008 - Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Jim DeMint (R-South Carolina) made the following statement today after House Democrats released a “discussion draft” of the continuing resolution appropriations legislation that included new permanent bans on offshore drilling and oil shale exploration.

"Our nation is facing an energy and economic crisis, yet Democrats are now planning to extend and make permanent bans on American oil and natural gas exploration, which will keep gas prices high and hurt American families trying to make ends meet. Instead of pandering to liberal environmental activists, it's time for Democrats to support our efforts to allow energy exploration to go forward.“

Currently, the prohibitions on offshore drilling and oil shale must be renewed each year as part of appropriations bill and are set to expire in just a few days on October 1st. However, if the draft language from Speaker Nancy Pelosi is passed, Congress would for the first time create a permanent ban in statute on over 80% of American oil reserves located within 50 miles offshore. Also, Pelosi’s proposal would create enormous hurdles to drilling that would effectively prevent any new oil or natural gas from being recovered: First, it requires states to “opt-in” to approve oil and natural gas production. Second, it denies those states any revenues from energy recovered offshore or through oil shale. And third, bans states from beginning energy production unless bordering states approve drilling as well.

“The Democrats are trying to permanently ban drilling for oil and gas here in America, creating huge hurdles that they know will never be met. This is actually worse than the current moratoriums that expire each year, and it is an insult to Americans suffering from high energy prices. It’s shameful that Democrats are taking advantage of the current economic turmoil in our financial markets to slip these bans in while no one is looking.

“We can still celebrate American Energy Freedom Day on October 1st when the current bans on American energy expire, but first we must stop Democrats from sneaking new bans in a must pass spending bill. Last week, 39 Senators sent Senators Reid and McConnell a letter pledging to stop any effort to extend these bans, and that is what we intend to do. Allowing the bans on offshore and oil shale exploration to expire will help create jobs, lower gas prices, and reduce our dependence on foreign oil," said DeMint.

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