Another BS response from Sarbanes... August 7, 2014 Dear Ms. Bruce, Thank you for contacting me about our Nations energy policies. I appreciate hearing from individuals who carefully follow the proceedings of Congress and I welcome the opportunity to respond. Unfortunately, the volatile swings in energy prices in recent years have squeezed the budgets of many American families and businesses. Because these are such difficult times for so many, it is hard to accept the huge profit numbers reported by some energy companies, which reach into the hundreds of billions of dollars. Therefore, I do not believe that adopting policies that give these companies more tax breaks, more land to drill on, and more benefit of the doubt will help us reduce the price of energy. I am also concerned that House Republicans recently considered legislation that would require offshore drilling off the coast of Virginia near the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. I strongly opposed this bill in the Natural Resources Committee and offered an amendment to strike this section. The untold damage done to the Gulf of Mexicos marine ecosystems, fishing and tourism industries, and local economy would wreak havoc on our region if a similar disaster occurred. The Republican leadership in the House of Representatives has pushed forward the Virginia drilling plan even though Department of Defense training areas and commercial shipping channels make it impossible to drill on all but a small portion of this parcel. With those prohibitions in mind, the amount of oil and natural gas available for extraction would not even meet the needs of the United States for one day. Regardless of where we drill, the United States does not have large enough reserves to be self-sustaining. Therefore, the slogan of drill everywhere does not properly address our long-term dependence on foreign oil. Only by breaking our dependence on oil and giving the American people more energy options, including renewable sources that are harnessed domestically, can we truly solve our energy problems. It is more important than ever that America adopt an aggressive energy strategy - one that also addresses our national security and environmental interests. Just as growth in information technology was the force behind economic prosperity in the 1990s, the development of green technology and green jobs will spur tremendous growth and offer long-term relief to the American economy by making us less dependent on energy from volatile areas of the world. Again, I appreciate hearing from you. Please do not hesitate to contact me about other matters of importance to you in the future. Sincerely, John P. Sarbanes Member of Congress Click here to sign up for John Sarbanes Newsletters sarbanes.house.gov/subscribe.asp
Posted on: Fri, 08 Aug 2014 19:01:25 +0000