Energy Policy Act of 2005
ENERGY POLICY ACT OF 2005 -- (House of Representatives - April 20, 2005)
Mr. NUNES. Madam Chairman, I had an opportunity to go up to and visit in Alaska the gentleman from Alaska's (Chairman Young) district. And I find it really interesting to hear the opposition to this bill because when I went up there, I envisioned that I would see trees, running water, big mountains, things that the American people would want to preserve. However, when I got there, I found nothing but tundra. And it was just kind of a wasteland of ice and tundra.
And as the American people are paying upwards of $2.50 a gallon for fuel today and we sit in the white building on Capitol Hill, I wonder what they are thinking out there.
This should have been opened long ago. We could get 10 percent of our daily supply from ANWR. But I believe that the radical environmental groups have been using this as a fund-raising tool for their organizations because what they say is in ANWR and what we see when we get there does not exist. And now I think the fund-raising has continued. Unfortunately, though, it has spread here to the halls of Congress. And with all the ethics charges that are being brought today by the Democrats, I find it very interesting that the author of this amendment sends out a fund-raising letter, and I have the fund-raising letter right here that, that asks people to contribute today. And I would like to submit this for the RECORD, Madam Chairman, because this is outrageous when people are paying $2.50 a gallon and the Democrats and the radical environmental groups are using this as a fund-raising tool.
DEAR FRIEND: In a few short hours, the Republican Energy Bill will be brought up for debate and a vote on the floor of the House of Representatives. I need your immediate help to ensure that this terrible bill never becomes law.
Last week, in the Energy and Commerce Committee, I offered a series of amendments to increase the average fuel efficiency of cars, mini-vans and SUVs. Each of these amendments was voted down by the Republican majority on the Committee, ensuring that the most technologically advanced nation in the world will continue to ignore energy conservation and not diminish its demand for oil. Why is it that we can send a man to the moon and beyond but cannot make our cars more efficient? This is auto mechanics, not rocket science.
I then offered an amendment in the Resources Committee to strip a provision from the bill that would open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil drilling. The Republicans on that committee voted against my amendment, choosing to set up a gas station in this pristine National Refuge.
If we allow drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, we will forever ruin this unique wilderness and allow the oil industry to target all 540 National Wildlife Refuges for drilling and exploitation--all for a few meager months worth of oil. Furthermore, drilling in the Refuge is completely unnecessary. If we were to increase the average fuel efficiency of cars, mini-vans and SUV's by only three miles per gallon, we would conserve more oil in ten years than could ever be produced by drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
For the last five years I have led the battle in the House to stop the Republicans in Congress from selling off one of our greatest natural treasures to the powerful special interests. Help me continue to fight to expose to the American people the dangers of this extreme and ineffective action by making a contribution today.
Today, I will offer these amendments again on the House floor. This series of votes is a critical moment for our country's energy future. I need your help now to expose the travesty of this Republican energy plan and ensure that this horrendous bill, rife with handouts to the special interests, is ultimately defeated. If this bill passes, we will create more pollution, forever spoil one of our most important and beautiful public lands and be forced to continue placing our soldiers in harm's way in defense of oil in the Middle East.
Help me continue to fight for a sensible, clean and independent energy future and shine a light on the Republican Party's backroom attempts to cater to the special interests by making an immediate contribution. As Justice Louis Brandies used to say, ``sunshine is the best disinfectant.''
Thank your for your action,
ED MARKEY
http://thomas.loc.gov