Domestic Prosperity and Global Freedom Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Speaker, this is the final amendment to the bill, which will not kill the bill or send it back to the committee. If adopted, the bill will immediately proceed to final passage, as amended.

My colleagues, America is blessed with many, many resources--all of you, for example. America is blessed with great natural resources, among them natural gas.

We have seen a terrific increase in the availability of natural gas, and it has provided this Nation with the opportunity to have the lowest price energy among the industrial nations, an incredible advantage that we have received as a result of God's gift of natural gas.

The question for all of us to ponder for a moment is: How will we use that natural gas and to whose benefit will it inure?

This bill will provide for the protection of Americans who have, from these number of years, enjoyed a reasonable price for their energy, but if this bill moves forward as presently written, we will be talking about seniors who will see higher prices in their natural gas and in their energy.

If this bill moves forward as it is currently written, we will be seeing our natural resource, this strategic asset, wind up in the hands of countries who support terrorists or countries who are engaged in industrial espionage through cyber attacks on our industry and on our government.

If this bill moves forward as it is presently written, we will not see American ships under our flag with our sailors taking this natural resource, this strategic asset, across the oceans.

However, ladies and gentlemen, if we approve this amendment, we will be protecting our seniors from higher energy prices because this bill says that, in determining the public interest, we will make sure our seniors are protected.

If we adopt this amendment, we will see that none of our natural resource--natural gas, a strategic asset--will wind up in the hands of countries who have supported terrorists.

We will find that no country that allows people in their country to engage in cyber attacks against our industries or against our government will have our precious natural resource, and we will see American ships with American sailors and American flags on the ocean exporting this strategic national asset.

The question, therefore, for each and every one of us is this: With whom do you stand? The gas companies, who will have billions and billions of dollars of profits exporting? Or, do you stand with our seniors?

Who do you stand with? Countries that are engaged in cyberattacks against America, and who are supporting terrorists?

Who do you stand with? Do you stand with American sailors and shipbuilders?

That is the question. That is what this amendment is all about. It is about protecting America.

I ask for your ``aye'' vote, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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