The vote is tomorrow; don't delay, send your email immediately!
When President Bill Clinton vetoed a bill that would have started domestic oil production in a tiny portion of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), he said it was a waste of time because it would have no effect on gas prices for ten years. That was 13 years ago, in 1995 when oil was $19 a barrel. Every year since, Liberals in Congress have blocked efforts to increase domestic oil and gas production, not only in ANWR but throughout the country and offshore. On Tuesday, the Senate will have the opportunity to change this policy by voting for the McConnell amendment to S2284 the Flood Insurance Bill.
As we at ACU informed you at the time, the energy bill congress passed and the president signed in 2007 rejected every attempt to increase domestic oil and gas production, expand refinery capacity or any measure that would have reduced our dependence on foreign oil.
In a few short months, we have seen the consequences of years of inaction, as gasoline is on its way to $4 a gallon and the price of oil has helped spark price increases for all forms of transportation as well as the goods that are shipped to market by that transportation,
Now the Congress will get another chance by voting for the McConnell amendment on Tuesday.
Here's what the McConnell Amendment would do:
- Produce up to 24 billion barrels of oil when fully enacted—enough oil to keep America running for 5 years with no foreign imports.
- Allow petitions for leasing activities on the Outer Continental Shelf—an area with 14 billion barrels of known recoverable oil.
- As no new refineries have been built in the U.S. in 30 years, give the EPA authority to expedite permits for refineries
- Establish a competitive oil and gas leasing program for ANWR
- Repeal the $4000 fee for new permit applications to drill.
- Repeal the 2007 provision that reduces mineral leasing revenue payments to the states.
- Repeal the moratorium on funds to encourage the commercial leasing of oil shale.Isn’t it time
Congress came to its senses and voted for U.S. domestic energy production?
For all you do to advance conservative free-market principles, we at the American Conservative Union are most appreciative.
Ben 05/12/08