U.S. Congress Should Work To Improve Our Domestic Oil Supply & Get Decreased Prices at the Gas Pump

This gasoline price at the PUMP CRUNCH is rough for all of us. Supply has not kept pace with demand, and so prices rise.

Many of steps taken in the U.S. for reduction of demand are being negated by increased demands for oil in foreign countries including India and China.

The best step we can take to decrease prices is to INCREASE SUPPLIES of oil here in the U.S.

U.S. Congress and Senate (both controlled by Democrats) has instead proposed legislation that would allow the U.S. to sue OPEC for suppressing oil production.

What?

We criticize other countries for curbing their oil production, and at the same time close off areas here in the U.S. known to have oil reserves and natural gas.

China is now working with Cuba to drill for oil 60 miles off the coast of Florida.

Meanwhile our Congress does nothing to increase our production and explore other U.S. oil resources.

On June 11, 2008, the U.S. Senate appropriations committee (controlled by Democrats) refused to consider a bill to allow exploration and drilling for oil by U.S. companies in international waters. Does that make sense?

We have advanced exploration technology available to allow development of oil in an environmentally-sensitive way while protecting surrounding habitats and wildlife.

Our U.S. Congress waits.

It is estimated that exploring a mere 2,000 acres of frozen tundra in the 1.5 million acre Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) could produce 10.4 billion barrels of oil. It is also estimated that offshore drilling would yield 86 billion barrels of oil and large quantities of natural gas.

In the long term, we must find and develop alternative energy sources here in the U.S. and be less dependent on oil.

During the short-term, developing our own domestic sources of oil should take priority.

Our U.S. Congress with Republicans and Democrats working together should legislate for real solutions to increasE oil production, provide more oil for us and get gasoline prices down at the pump.

Posted by Harrison K. Long, Explore Properties Group, June 11, 2008
Source: Ken Calvert, U.S. Congress Representative, 44th District from California