Today President Bush reversed the executive order curtailing offshore drilling. Speaker Pelosi responded by saying offshore drilling was a "hoax." Nancy, $5 gasoline is no hoax. Airline C.E.O.’s , twelve in all, sending an e-mail blaming oil speculators for fuel costs is a hoax. There is only one group to blame for high fuel costs, politicians. That, Madame speaker is no hoax.
In 2006 Chevron proved there is oil offshore. Their find 175 off the coast of Louisiana is expected to bring in 3 to 15 billion barrels of oil. That is not a hoax.
The state of Louisiana collects $1.5 billion dollars a year in oil revenues. That is no hoax. There are 26 oil and gas drilling platforms off California and 1,500 active wells. Off shore wells in U.S. federal waters have produced more than 1 billion barrels of oil and 16 trillion cubic feet of natural gas since the 1960’s. This has helped keep prices down for 48 years. That’s no hoax. The billions of dollars the oil industry has paid the U.S. treasury for rights to drill is no hoax. Since 1969 only 852 barrels of oil have been spilled. That’s a spit in the ocean. No Hoax.
Some of those millions in drilling leases are for rights that will not produce oil. There is great risk and speculation in buying offshore leases and oft times the surveys say the cost to drill is not justified for the amounts of oil there. The idea that you just poke a hole in the ocean floor and you get oil is a hoax.
During hurricanes Katrina and Rita 115 platforms were toppled and drops of oil were spilled. That’s no hoax. Offshore production now is 26.8% of the oil produced in the U.S. up from 11.3% in 1990. We would be in a real mess if your predecessors had seen this as a hoax.
Turning windfall profits tax into energy is a hoax. Jimmy Carter proved that. The fact that the government can solve this problem is a hoax. Look at your recent success with Freddie Mac and Fanny Mae. You have done a masterful job with those companies. Chris Dodd and Charles Schummer wanted to loosen the restrictions on their lending a few months ago. I believe you, Madame Speaker and Dick Durbin both supported that.
Global warming may be a hoax. Some form of alternative energy that will magically materialize and save our country is a hoax. Obama’s energy policy is a hoax.
Your unmitigated ignorance in calling a proven way to reduce our county’s dependence on foreign oil is unimaginable. You do nothing democrats are pandering to a minority of environmentalists without any regard for the future of our country, our national security, our businesses, jobs, and the overall welfare of all Americans. Madame Speaker, you are a hoax.