Scalise: “OPEC Could not have Drafted a Better Bill”

Congressman Scalise comments on the Democrats ‘No-energy’ bill introduced today

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Washington, DC -- Last night around 10 p.m. the Democrats in Congress introduced their version of an energy bill which will be voted on today, without allowing a single amendment to be offered. Congressman Scalise today made the following comments about their bill and the lack of compromise.

“This bill is a poison pill for Louisiana and coastal states that enjoy revenue sharing from offshore energy production and will create a huge threat as we work to increase Louisiana’s share of offshore revenues. Clearly new drilling will generate billions of dollars in new money. Speaker Pelosi’s attempt to deny new revenue sharing to states underscores the liberal Democratic leadership’s desire to ban drilling as an option to solve this energy crisis. My bill, the GAS Act, would allow states to receive up to 50 percent of new drilling revenue. Our approach would give Louisiana hundreds of millions of dollars a year that would be used to restore our coast, and Speaker Pelosi is trying to take that away from us.

“OPEC could not have drafted a better bill. By taking away revenue sharing, Speaker Pelosi and her liberal leadership will make it harder to produce American energy. They are giving more leverage to OPEC nations and will only increase our county’s addiction to Middle Eastern oil.

The bill on the floor today was introduced late last night and will now be up for a vote with out amendments today. House Democratic Leadership has blocked consideration of Scalise’s GAS Act and the American Energy Act that Scalise has co-sponsored. Both bills were introduced in July.

The bill presented today offers no revenue sharing for states that wish to start allowing drilling off their shores. The bill presented today includes no lawsuit reform so environmentalist groups can continue to sue companies for leasing land. Finally, the first 50 miles of the OCS will be permanently banned from drilling. This area is where an estimated 88 percent of the OCS’s energy resources exist.

To view Congressman Scalise speaking on the House floor against this bill earlier today go to the home page, scroll down to the multimedia section and click on the video from today, Tuesday, September 16, 2008.

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Contact: Luke Bolar
202-226-4309