Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Texas for yielding.

There are so many remarkable aspects of this bill that deserve debate and discussion, but it's not going to happen. So the question that I would ask is, what on Earth are the Democrats afraid of? What on Earth is the new majority afraid of? This majority, the Democrat majority, promised the Nation a fair and open process, and again, they've failed to live up to their promises.

This bill, we received the final language of almost 700 pages in this bill at 6:30 p.m. last night, 6:30 p.m., Mr. Speaker, and we were told that the Rules Committee was meeting at 7:30 p.m., 1 hour later. The bill itself increases the debt limit by $800 billion. Mr. Speaker, by my calculation, that is $1.3 billion a minute to allow Members an opportunity to look at the bill and determine whether or not amendments ought be in order. But the Rules Committee didn't accept any amendments.

The bill has the potential to increase the national debt by 50 percent, by $5 trillion. Don't you think the taxpayers of this Nation deserve an open and an honest debate about that?

The bill gives unprecedented and unchecked authority to the Treasury Department to put taxpayers on the hook for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. And we've been given 2 hours to debate it, with no amendments, no opportunity for change? What are you afraid of? What are you afraid of?

The most sweeping changes to housing law in a generation were circulated to our offices just 16 hours prior to floor consideration. Now, this is in contrast to what the leadership, the Democrat leadership, said just 2 short years ago before they became leaders.

Speaker Pelosi said in June of 2006, ``Because the debate has been limited and Americans' voices silenced by this restrictive rule, I urge my colleagues to vote against the rule.''

Well, I agree with the Speaker. But what's changed? What's changed for her? Is it political expediency or is it a broken promise?

In December of 2006, following the election, now-Majority Leader Steny Hoyer bragged to the media. He said, ``We intend to have a Rules Committee . . . that gives opposition voices and alternative proposals the ability to be heard and considered on the floor of the House.''

What happened, Mr. Speaker? What are they afraid of? What are they afraid of? Here we are considering a rule in which the majority didn't even bother to post a process by which Members could submit amendments. What's changed, Mr. Speaker? What are they afraid of? What debate would be so scary that they wouldn't even allow an amendment or an alternative on the floor?

The chairwoman of the Rules Committee, Ms. Slaughter, said, ``If we want to foster democracy in this body, we should take the time and thoughtfulness to debate all major legislation under an open rule, not just appropriations bills, which are already restricted. An open process should be the norm and not the exception.''

What changed, Mr. Speaker? What changed? What are they so afraid of?

The Democratic Caucus Chair Rahm Emanuel said, ``Let us have an up- or-down vote. Do not be scared. Do not hide behind some little rule. Come on out here. Put it on the table, and let us have a vote. So do not hide behind the rule. If this is what you want to do, let us have an up-or-down vote. You can put your vote's right up there . . . and then the American people can see what it is all about.''

Mr. Speaker, what's so scary about an open rule? Such heavy-handed tactics effectively silence half of the American people. How can that be consistent with the campaign promises that we heard from this new majority?

A number of Republicans, including myself, submitted amendments to the bill. I submitted two thoughtful and substantive amendments.

But my two amendments were not even given an opportunity to come to the floor for a vote.

So this, just like energy, Mr. Speaker, just like energy, we are unable to bring the American people's desires to the floor to have a vote. That's all we ask for.

Mr. Speaker, what's so scary? What are they afraid of? Are they afraid of the American people?

Will the gentleman yield?

I appreciate your perspective on this. It's not one with which I agree, but I appreciate your perspective.

But wouldn't the gentleman agree that under this rule, shouldn't this be a rule where all amendments are debated?

Mr. Speaker, I move to reconsider the vote.

Motion to Table by Mr. Hastings of Florida

Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

I thank Mr. Westmoreland from Georgia for his leadership on this and so many other issues.

You have a poster down there that talks about American dollars going elsewhere. Have you talked about that poster yet tonight?

Why don't you highlight that poster because that talks about the kinds of things that I would like to discuss.

I thank the gentleman for pointing that out.

Now Hugo Chavez is the president of Venezuela, not the president of an American oil company, not the president of a friendly nation, he is the president of Venezuela, and that's what gets my constituents so outraged, and that is instead of taking advantage of the American resources that we have to make American energy, what is this leadership in the House doing? It is forcing us to continue to give millions upon millions upon millions of dollars to folks who don't like us. Incredible.

T. Boone Pickens is doing ads on television right now. He talks about a $700 billion transfer of wealth every year, $700 billion from the United States offshore. And much of it to folks that don't like us. And why? Mr. Speaker, why? Because the leadership, the Democrat leadership in the House of Representatives will not even allow a vote on the floor of the House to make it so that we can vote on whether or not we ought to utilize American energy for Americans.

And I know that people get frustrated by talking about the processes. They say you ought not talk about the process. But in this instance the process is policy. The process is policy.

Here we had a Speaker who came into the majority leadership 18, 19 months ago. And what did she say, she said this was going to be the most open, the most fair, the most equitable Congress in the history of the Nation. And what have we had? We have had the most closed Congress in the lifetime of us sitting here.

We talk about what are called open rules which allow amendments or debate on a specific bill when it comes to the floor. This has been the fewest number of open rules that anybody can remember. It is phenomenal, much more so than what we were criticized for when we had the majority 2 years ago.

But what that failure of process means, what that closure of the process means is that ideas aren't able to be brought to the floor, votes aren't able to be had on bills that the American people care about. And in this instance, it is the American people's pocketbook. It is their livelihood. It is jobs. It is on American energy for Americans that the Speaker of the House will not allow a vote on this floor. It is unconscionable. It is unconscionable. I don't know if most Americans appreciate this is going on.

We believe that the process of bringing American energy to Americans is complex. It takes into account all sorts of different opportunities that we have. Conservation, we all believe in conservation. We are all getting greener.

Alternative fuel, we believe we ought to incentivize the creation of alternative fuel and not make it so that the government is picking the winner in the area of alternative fuel.

It truly is remarkable because that is not what they said. They said we want to be open and we want to do all we can to make certain that the American people have appropriate energy. But when it comes to voting on the floor of the House, Mr. Speaker, they won't allow it. They won't allow it. That's what gets my folks at home upset.

So all it asks Members of Congress to do is say I will sign a petition that says, ``I will vote to increase U.S. oil production to lower gas prices for Americans.''

And time is of the essence. We are here just this week and next week. After that, Congress goes on vacation. Congress goes on vacation. I have been ranting and raving every time when we close this House each week, usually on a Thursday afternoon at 2:30 or 3, that we are gone for another 3 or 4 days without addressing the major one issue of the American people. So in another week or 10 days, Congress will be gone for a month. And will we have addressed this issue? Not unless the American people stand up and hold Congress accountable, because I can promise you, what my good friends are saying at home is not what they are doing when they come right here.

I thank my colleague for yielding because the issue of oil shale is, I think, the untold story that is truly one of the secrets to making, allowing America to be energy self-sufficient or even energy-independent.

As you say, the vote was held here on the floor of the House to make it so that America couldn't use its resources.

Some of my friends are fond of saying that America, under this Democrat leadership, is the only nation on the face of the earth that views its natural resources as an environmental hazard instead of a national asset. It is truly phenomenal.

You mention that the oil shale resources that we have here, in the United States, in the lower 48, would possibly provide two trillion barrels of oil.

Now, we throw around big numbers here in Washington; we are fond of doing that. But what does that mean, two trillion barrels of oil?

It is not only more than the oil that is present in the Middle East. Mr. Speaker, it is more than twice as much as the entire earth has used in the last 150 years. It is more fossil fuel than the earth has used since it began, since man began using fossil fuel for energy. It is an absolute phenomenal amount of natural resource. And the thing that has made it accessible is that we now have technology that is available to utilize it and mine it in a way that is environmentally sensitive and environmentally sound.

But what does this leadership say? What does the Speaker say? Oh, no. Oh, no, we wouldn't want to do that because, as my friend from North Carolina says, we believe that we can actually repeal the law of supply and demand.

Well, I will tell you, Mr. Speaker, what my friends and my constituents at home say. They want to be able to use American energy for Americans. So we have got to conserve. We have got to find that alternative fuel. But in the meantime, in the short-term, in the near term we simply must increase supply, onshore drilling, exploration, offshore deep sea exploration, utilizing oil shale, clean coal technology, making certain that we have enough refineries, more refineries to be able to refine the product that we have, all of those things go into the mix to making it so that America can be energy self- sufficient so that we can bring down that spike in the cost of gasoline at the pumps, and in the cost of home heating oil which is, although it is hot right now, it will be cool relatively soon. And our friends in the Northeast, who are so fond, apparently of this current Democrat majority, with this Speaker and this Democrat majority, they will find out what this leadership has brought them, and it has brought them incredibly skyrocketing prices in the area of home heating fuel.

So I hope that people are paying attention to that as they look at their newspapers and as they look at their ballots, Mr. Speaker, as they evaluate who they believe ought to be leading this Nation.

I will tell you, Mr. Speaker, that I believe that the commonsense agenda is an agenda that embraces all technologies, embraces all technologies in a way to increase American supply of energy for Americans. We would hope that we would be able to do that in a bipartisan way. Our friends on the other side though, in terms of the leadership, haven't allowed that to happen. But we look forward to the day when we are able to lead and lead with both Republicans and Democrats to bring together, American energy for Americans and bring down the cost of gasoline for our constituents all across this land.

I want to commend once again my friend from Georgia for his leadership on this and so many issues. I look forward to being with you again.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank a special group of people, the millions of participants and volunteers of the Special Olympics. Next Sunday, the Special Olympics turns 40 years old, and we are extremely grateful for the opportunities they provide to the intellectually disabled members of our community.

The goal of the Special Olympics is simple to express, but monumental to achieve: to empower individuals to become physically fit, productive and respected members of the community through sports training and competition. Not deterred by the challenge of their tasks, the organizers of the Special Olympics programs have performed phenomenally and made a serious impact in countless lives.

Ironically, their extraordinary results are likely due to their focus on the games, and not the winners. This is apparent from their oath, ``Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me brave in the attempt,'' a message from which we can all learn.

Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege to recognize and congratulate the Special Olympics on their 40th anniversary and to wish them continued success in their most worthy cause.

Mr. Speaker, here we are, Thursday afternoon, 3:58 p.m. All across the Nation, the day shift is ending, or about to end. Folks getting ready for the afternoon shift. Other folks that work the night shift are either just waking up or just going to sleep to get prepared for another day, another day of work.

Where is the House? The House has gone home, Thursday afternoon, and the House has gone home, not to return until next Tuesday. What didn't we do this week, like we didn't do last week, and the week before, and the week before, we didn't address the number one issue on the minds of Americans and hurting the American pocketbook, and that's the issue of gas prices, didn't address it, nothing.

Now, the majority will tell you that they brought to the floor a drill bill. What they brought to the floor today, Mr. Speaker, cynically, was what they called a drill bill. In fact, it was really just a ``no energy'' energy bill.

Why do I say that? Well, the bill had eight sections. Six sections are either current law or are clerical. Current law: No new energy. One of the sections mandated project labor agreements that would increase the construction costs of Alaskan pipelines by as much as 30 percent. Increasing costs: No new energy. The final section would increase the bureaucracy and the red tape for any new energy production. It didn't open any exploration onshore. It

didn't open any exploration offshore. Increasing costs: No new energy.

Now, what is the solution? Well, the solution is what the American people know, and that is that it's a broad array of items. It's conservation. Americans are doing an incredible job of trying to conserve. We're using less energy than we did last year. Conservation is the key, and we can all do more. It's finding alternative fuel, that fuel that will allow the 21st century to be an American energy 21st century. That will take a little while.

So, in the near term, in the short term, what's the solution? Mr. Speaker, you know what it is. It's what your constituents tell you about. It's increasing supply. It is increasing the supply of energy, American energy for Americans. How do you do that? America has incredible resources.

Onshore resources: We ought to be doing more exploration. We're only using 6 percent of the eligible land to be leased to find American energy for Americans onshore.

Offshore: Deep-sea exploration. The vast majority of Americans support environmentally sensitive and sound deep-sea exploration. We ought to be doing that. Only 3 percent of the available territory is being utilized currently.

Utilizing clean coal technology: We now have technology available that allows us to use coal of which America is, remarkably, the world's greatest repository of coal in the world, and we ought to be using that for clean coal technology.

Oil shale, which exists in our western area: There are more than 2 trillion barrels of oil that could be extracted from oil shale in environmentally sensitive and sound ways.

Mr. Speaker, as you know, we're doing none of that. Now, it's not because there isn't legislation for it. In fact, we have bills right here at the desk: H.R. 3089, the No More Excuses Energy Act; H.R. 2279, the Expand American Refining Capacity Act; H.R. 5656, to Repeal the Ban on Acquiring Alternative Fuels; H.R. 2208, the Coal Liquid Fuel Act. All sorts of bills exist. They exist, but we aren't allowed a vote.

As you know, the majority party, the Democrat leadership, beholden to leftist individuals, will not allow a vote on the floor of the House. All we're asking is for a vote. We're not asking for a guaranteed outcome, just a vote. Give us a vote, Mr. Speaker. Why not? What are you afraid of? Why not have a vote? Why not respond to the demand of the American people and increase American energy for Americans? Bring down gas prices. We demand a vote. We hope that next week we'll see it.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6455, the NASA 50th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act. I want to thank the chairman of the Financial Services Committee, Mr. Frank, for his willingness to bring this bill to the floor.

This is an easy bill to understand. What is a little difficult to fathom is why this bill has been so star-crossed, pun intended. The gentleman from Texas (Mr. Culberson) proposed this idea first several Congresses ago, and the House has passed it several times in substantially the same form, this year with the help of the gentlelady from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).

For reasons that aren't clear, it has always had a harder time escaping the gravitational pull of the other body; although, it's always had support. This year, the Senate acted but sent back a Senate- numbered bill with some minor amendments, and since the bill contains a revenue provision and thus has to be a House-numbered bill to go to the President, we are sending the Senate-amended language to them in this bill.

Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Culberson) speaks eloquently about the importance of the space program to the American economy, to United States national security, and to the advancement of science, and I'm honored to yield to my

friend from Texas at this time for such time as he may consume.

(Mr. CULBERSON asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I want to say how pleased we are that this bill has come to the floor. I want to commend my friend from Texas for shepherding this through previous Congresses. I want to commend the gentlelady from Texas for painting a picture of the wonder of NASA that we all know and love. The byproducts of the NASA program have been remarkable.

I remember myself that day in July of 1969 when we landed on the Moon, and watching that, and what a special source of pride that was for all Americans. I remember thinking--actually, every time that NASA has a flight--the incredible energy that it takes to boost those rockets into space.

This bill is going to get something that's very special on the floor of this House, and that's a vote; that's a vote, Mr. Speaker. We would appeal to the Democrat majority leadership to allow a vote on other bills, other bills that have items of import, like the energy that it takes for every single American to live each and every day. Just a vote, that's all we ask for, just a vote.

We had many of our friends come to the floor earlier today and talk about the issue of energy. And we, on our side of the aisle, believe that a comprehensive solution is absolutely necessary.

We've got to have conservation, and Americans are doing their share on that score as we speak. We've got to have an alternative fuel source. And I'm one of those that's hopeful that it's not a source of energy that is selected by this Congress but that utilizes the ingenuity and the entrepreneurship and the genius of the American people to come up with that alternative fuel.

But we know that we also need a short-term, a near-term solution, and that's the increase in supply. And that's what we ask for for the floor of this House is to allow a vote on an increase in supply for onshore fossil fuels, for offshore deep sea exploration, for clean coal technology, for oil shale, for increasing refining capacity so that the energy that was put into the space program can be harnessed for the energy that will solve the challenges that we have for our Nation in terms of American-made energy for Americans.

So that's what we ask for, Mr. Speaker, a vote, a vote not just on this bill--which we know we'll get, and we're very grateful for that-- but a vote on the bills of significant import to the American people in this day and in this time so that we can make certain that we do, in fact, increase American-made energy for Americans.

I'm pleased to yield to my friend from Texas.

I thank my friend for his comments.

And I appreciate just a glimpse into the wonderful genius of the American people and what we're able to do when we harness the energy of the American mind and have it move in a focused direction, like increasing the supply of energy.

Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased to support this bill and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I just want to thank my good friends from Texas once again for bringing this bill to the floor and thank the chairman of the committee for bringing this bill to the floor.

In closing, I will just say that my constituents and many constituents and many Americans that I hear from all across this Nation say they remember fondly the wonderful enthusiasm with which this Nation gathered around, challenged by a President in the early 1960s to go to the Moon. And NASA was absolutely pivotal and instrumental in that. And it's that kind of enthusiasm that my constituents and so many Americans believe we ought to be putting into the same kind of program to discovering that alternative fuel that will lead us and allow us to lead throughout the 21st century.

So this bill will get a vote. And for that we are very, very grateful.

We would ask, Mr. Speaker, and appeal to the leadership to allow a vote on increasing the supply of American energy for Americans and providing a program that allows for the expansive development of alternative fuel.

With that, I am pleased to support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

I thank my colleague from Georgia.

Dr. Gingrey, the two posters that he showed--because I think that the Taunton River, wild and scenic river poster that he showed, demonstrate the contortion to which the Democrat majority will go to not, to not increase supply of fuel, of fossil fuels for the American people, the contortions that they will go through to try to make certain that people pay more at the pump and have to pay more for heating their home in the winter. It is truly astounding.

We believe in a comprehensive solution. We don't believe in just one thing. We don't believe in just conservation, we believe strongly in conservation, but not just conservation. We don't believe just in alternative fuels, we believe in alternative fuels without a doubt, but we don't believe in just alternative fuel. We believe also in increasing supply, because, as my friend knows, we believe in the laws of economics.

The law of supply and demand is a law. That's why they call it a law. When you increase supply, you decrease cost, and that's what the American people know. That's why the American people are so supportive of the efforts that we are trying. Seventy-six percent support increasing oil drilling in the United States immediately, 76 percent.

A year ago, that wouldn't have been that number. In fact, it might have been 25 percent, absolutely the reverse, 73 percent favor--said they favor offshore drilling for oil and natural gas immediately, 73 percent. Sixty-eight percent said they supported increasing exploration for oil and natural gas immediately.

These are the American people who understand and appreciate that when the price goes up that one of the ways to bring down the price is to increase the supply, increase the supply.

Many of my constituents ask me, well, why won't

you have an opportunity to vote? They don't understand, they think that back in the fourth grade and the sixth grade when they learned about how Congress works, and they thought that votes just happen on the floor of the House whenever there was a bill that was introduced. Well, the challenge that we have is that the majority party, the Speaker, determines whether or not a bill gets a vote on floor of the House, and the Speaker will not allow a vote on this.

That's all we are asking. We are not asking to game the system, to tell us what the result is going to be. We will let every Member vote, all 435 Members, let them vote. That's all we are asking. Let's vote for the utilization of deep sea exploration for oil, on-shore exploration for oil, use of oil shale, clean coal technology, increasing refining capacity, increasing energy for Americans.

That's what we would like to see a vote on the floor of this House, and I know that's what the American people want to see. I am so pleased to be able to join my colleague from Georgia tonight and the leadership that he has shown on this issue.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

And I want to thank all of my colleagues for working together to bring this evening to reality because I think it's what the American people want, and that is a discussion about what's going on.

Mr. Speaker, we have talked about the need for increasing supply, and I appreciate my friend from New York's saying that the SPR ought to be released because what that argument signifies is an appreciation that supply is important. And supply is important. And that's what the American people understand and appreciate. They know that when there's an increase in supply that there's a decrease in price.

We have talked about how much of the Outer Continental Shelf has been utilized, and different maps and different charts do different things and demonstrate different things. This is a pie chart that demonstrates that the dark purple area is the portion of the Outer Continental Shelf that is able to be leased. And 97 percent is not, 97 percent is not right now.

And that's what the American people see. They see that we have got all sorts of wonderful resources that we ought to be utilizing, American energy for Americans, that we're not. The same can be said for on-land areas that ought to be leased or could be available for leasing. Onshore, the dark purple, 6 percent is that area that is able to be leased right now for oil and gas development, and 94 percent is not. And I think that it's imperative that we concentrate on that area that could be utilized by Americans. Americans are frustrated because they understand and appreciate that we're not using the resources that we have.

My friend from Michigan talks about the fact that we have got more than enough supply. I would suggest to my friend that Americans don't believe we ought to be gaining 70 percent of our supply from foreign sources. I would suggest to my friend that Americans want to utilize American resources for Americans and that that's the kind of work that they would appreciate our doing together on this floor, as we're discussing tonight.

So I hope that as we move forward this evening and talk about these issues that we identify that available energy, the resources that we have that are available to Americans. We don't have to worry about Hugo Chavez. We don't have to worry about folks in the Middle East. We don't have to be held prisoner of folks that, frankly, don't like us very much. We can utilize American resources for Americans. And I hope that as we move forward in this discussion over the next couple of weeks that we'll concentrate on that and have that as the hallmark for our solutions.

And I thank my friend for yielding.

No, I am pleased to continue the discussion on energy and whatever aspect of it you would like to discuss.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Far be it for me to defend oil companies, but my understanding is that the profits in oil companies has been about 8 percent for the past couple of years. I don't know what it ought to be, but I know how you figure that out in our society, and that is you allow markets to work. I also know there are some significant increases, there are some major companies that are making 15 and 20 percent margins.

And the gentleman is right, it is a philosophical question, when should the government step in. I think the points that have been made are very good points to talk about the strategic petroleum reserve and to talk about alternative fuel and conservation and geothermal and the like.

My point would be that we on this side believe we ought to have a comprehensive solution, that it ought to include all of these things, and all of these things means utilizing more of the supply that we have, American supply, whether it is offshore, whether it is deep-sea exploration, or whether it is on-shore exploration. Or oil shale.

We haven't talked about oil shale at all, and I think it is a bit of a transition into the speculation discussion because oil shale has been taken off the table earlier by the new majority. And oil shale is, as many of my friends know, estimated to have 2 trillion barrels of oil. That's a hard number to get your arms around. But when you look at in perspective, 1 trillion barrels of oil is what the entire human population has used since we began using fossil fuels. And we, America, have 2 trillion, estimated to be 2 trillion barrels of oil in terms of reserves.

I do know when you take that kind of supply off the table, the speculators, those who look at how much reserve, how much supply is out there in the world, when we as the government take that off the table, that immediately jacks up the price because that is not even there. That is not even there to be talked about or utilized.

So I look forward to the comments of my friend from Michigan about the issue of speculation because I think that we would again give the message that we are interested in talking about all of these things and having a comprehensive solution.

I would hope that our friends on the other side of the aisle are also interested in a comprehensive solution and not a targeted solution that picks winners and losers and picks friends and punishes enemies from a governmental standpoint.

If the gentleman would yield, I agree those are big numbers. What those numbers don't tell us is what kind of money they used to invest and what those margins were. And I don't know the answer to that.

If there were an investment of $120 billion, and I don't know what it was, then the margin would be a percentage and that is what you determine what the actual profits are.

In absolute numbers, you are absolutely correct. I have no doubt about it.

And I agree.

Madam Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman's leadership on this.

My good friend from the other side said he didn't come prepared to talk about his side's strategy on energy. Well, let me share with you what an aide from the Democrat side said just this week. He said, ``Right now, our strategy on gas prices is to drive small cars and wait for the wind.''

That is the problem, Madam Speaker. Because when we want home last week, all of us went home last week for the Fourth of July break, we met with our constituents; and we heard what I suspect my friend from Massachusetts

would hear if he asks, and that is, that they understand, the American people understand that supply is important. And this is a dynamic situation.

He talks about a vote a number of years ago on whether or not there ought to be offshore exploration. Well, Madam Speaker, the situation has changed. The American's people opinion has changed. What has done that? $4 a gallon gasoline that the other side has done nothing about.

On our side we have attempted for years, literally for years to increase supply. In fact, as has been recited by my good friend from California earlier, we have passed all sorts of legislation out of the House of Representatives. What has happened is that they have died in the Senate. They have not gotten the 60 votes that they needed. But, Madam Speaker, I have great confidence in the responsiveness of the United States Senators, who have also been home and appreciate that this situation has changed.

The American people are demanding American energy for Americans, and there are solutions that are on the table. H.R. 3089, No More Excuses Energy Act, would reduce the price of gasoline by opening new American oil refineries. Investing in clean energy sources such as wind, nuclear, and captured carbon dioxide, and making available more homegrown energy through environmentally sensitive exploration of the Arctic Energy Slope and America's Deep-Sea Energy Reserves.

H.R. 3089, Madam Speaker. It is there for the taking. All we ask for is a vote. We are not guaranteeing passage, but we do believe that it is appropriate for the most deliberative body in the world to have an opportunity to vote on increasing the supply of American energy for Americans. And the problem is, is that our friends on the other side don't want to have that vote. Why? I am not quite certain, because I know that their constituents are telling them what our constituents are telling us, and that is, increase American energy for Americans. Instead, what is their policy? Drive small cars and wait for the wind.

Madam Speaker, we demand a vote on H.R. 3089 and the other bills that will increase American supply, American energy for Americans. Let's vote now.

Will the gentleman yield?

The gentleman asked a question.

Will the gentleman yield?

You asked a question.

I thank the gentleman.

I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank him for his leadership on this issue, the national parks quarter bill. We have in

my district the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, which is under the National Park Service, the longest linear park in the Nation, 48-mile linear park, and so I am pleased to support this bill.

The concern that I have, however, about the national parks is that, Mr. Speaker, more and more Americans aren't able to get to them, and they aren't able to get to them because of the price of gasoline. And so what we ought to be doing here as the House of Representatives, in addition to recognizing the wonderful work of the National Park Service, is to do all that we can to make certain that the number one issue of Americans across this Nation is addressed. That issue is energy policy and gas prices. So I come to the well today to lend my support to those who are trying to move forward in a positive way as it relates to energy policy for our Nation.

We have, Mr. Speaker, as you know, a number of bills that aren't being brought to the floor because the Speaker doesn't want them to come to the floor, is not interested in increasing supply of oil for Americans, American energy for Americans. There are a number of discharge petitions, which is the only avenue that Members of the House have when their bills are bottled up when they can't get to the floor. We have four of them that are available right now.

One is the No More Excuses Energy Act that would increase the ability of new refineries to be brought on line in the United States. Mr. Speaker, we haven't had a new refinery built in this Nation in over 30 years, and the problem with that is that we can't get product to the retail market. We cannot increase the supply if you don't have increase in refineries. That is H.R. 3089.

Mr. Speaker, there is another one, H.R. 2279, which would expand the refining capacity on closed military installations, one of those that allows for increasing refining capacity on land that is currently not even being used, Federal land that is not being used. And this is important as it relates to national parks, because again, Mr. Speaker, my constituents are having trouble getting to the national parks because of the price of gasoline. And this House is not acting because the leadership, the Speaker and her leadership, are not interested in bringing forward bills that increase supply.

Another one is H.R. 5656, which would repeal the ban on acquiring alternative fuels. Mr. Speaker, we were home last week, and one of the things I heard from my constituents as I know folks heard all across this Nation is: You have got to solve the energy problems. You have got to solve the gas price problem.

One of the ways to do that is to conserve. Yes, there is no doubt about it. Another way is to increase supply. We have talked a lot about that. Another way in the long run is to make certain that we have got the kind of technology available to provide for alternative fuel.

This is a bill, H.R. 5656, that would allow for increasing accessibility to mechanisms to bring alternative fuels on line, diverse sources of fuels like oil shale and tar sands and coal-to-liquid technology.

I was surprised to learn, Mr. Speaker, as I know you were that the United States has one of the largest resources of oil shale in the world. In the world. So much so that the estimate is that we could get over 2 trillion barrels of oil out of the oil shale, oil sands that is American resource. American resource.

Now, 2 trillion is a big number. It has got a lot of zeroes after it. What does it really mean, 2 trillion barrels of oil? Well, just to put it in perspective, Mr. Speaker, the world has used 1 trillion barrels of oil since 1875. Mr. Speaker, the world has used 1 trillion barrels of oil since 1875. We Americans possess, our natural resources, the ability to gain 2 trillion barrels of oil without any influence from a foreign source, without utilizing any foreign source or any foreign technology. We could do that right now if we were able to have this House and Senate act.

So this is remarkable, remarkable information. It is important that the Members of the House know this. It is important that all Americans know this. Because we have within our capacity the ability to become not just less reliant on foreign oil but self-sufficient on American oil. American energy for Americans. That is what it is all about. That is what we hear when we go home.

So why, Mr. Speaker, why will this House not be allowed to vote on H.R. 5656? Or H.R. 2279? Or H.R. 3089? Or the one that has brought a discharge petition this week H.R. 2208, which is the Coal to Liquid Fuel Act, which would reduce the price of gasoline by encouraging the use of clean coal technology?

Mr. Speaker, as you also know, we in the United States possess the world's largest reserves of coal, and technology has changed so drastically over the past 20 to 30 years, that now it is possible in an environmentally sensitive and sound way, and responsible way, to gain natural gas, to gain gasoline from liquid coal, from coal-to-liquid technology, energy for Americans, American energy for Americans.

But what is happening here in the House of Representatives when it comes to energy policy? Nothing, Mr. Speaker. Nothing. And so when I went home last week, I know I heard what all of our colleagues did, and that is the House has got to act. The House has got to act. The frustration level of the American people is huge. And it ought to be. Their anger is huge, and it ought to be.

I encourage my colleagues to communicate to the Speaker's office, to let the Speaker know that we want to vote on these bills. I don't know how the vote will turn out, but I do know that the constituents of my district and the constituents of districts all across this Nation want to know how their Member will vote on these bills. It is imperative, American energy for Americans.

Once again, I want to thank my good friend from Delaware for providing me this time, and getting to the issue of the national parks in a little side way manner, but I think it is important. I think it is important because our constituents, I know, want us to solve the issue of energy so they can visit the national parks, the beautiful national parks all across this Nation.

Mr. Speaker, how much time remains on our side?

I thank the Speaker.

I thank my good friend from Delaware for allowing me to comment on a few of the comments that have been made by the gentlelady from New York and try to set the record straight a little bit.

The issue of the 68 million acres of leased land, of Federal land to gain access to oil reserves under Federal land of the United States isn't whether or not all of those have been used, it's whether or not there is any oil underneath them. And the fact of the matter, Mr. Speaker, as you well know is that in much of those areas, there is no oil underneath them, and you don't need to drill in every single acre to confirm there's no oil in adjacent acres. The technology is incredible today. So the fact that all haven't been drilled doesn't mean that the resources that are under those 68 million haven't been utilized, because they have. In fact, Mr. Speaker, 95 percent of the land that ought to be available for leasing has not been leased.

My good friend asked what happened on our watch. What happened when the Republicans were in charge. Well, Mr. Speaker, as you know, we passed the vast majority of these and they got held up in the Senate. They got held up because it requires 60 votes to move anything through the Senate. My suspicion though, Mr. Speaker, is that now there aren't 40 individuals who would stop these bills from moving forward, that the holdup is here in the House of Representatives.

My good friend from New York talks about all of the bills that have already been passed. Well, Mr. Speaker, the problem with that is that none of them, not one of them deals with increasing supply. They call it a law of supply and demand because it's a law. It's a law. If you increase the supply, you will decrease the cost at the pump. Americans know that.

Americans want a vote on supply. Mr. Speaker, give us a vote on supply. American energy for Americans.

I thank the gentleman.

As a physician, nothing is more important to me than patients and the ability of doctors to take care of them. One of the reasons that I ran for public office was to work as diligently as I could to get politics out of the clinical exam room and out of the operating room.

The process that has brought this bill to the floor, a new bill of over 270 pages, just this morning, reveals the cynical and solely political activity of the majority leadership, a crisis of leadership in this House. No hearing, no amendments, no fairness, no recognition of the true needs of patients and doctors.

Politics over policy, politics over people. Shame, Mr. Speaker. Shame.

MR. BARROW. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Colorado (Ms. DeGette).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of Representative Gary Miller to recognize the importance of homeownership in America and to commend him on his resolution.

On May 29, 2008, President Bush designated June as Homeownership Month, as he has done for the past 7 years. To complement this designation, this resolution, H. Res. 1271, provides congressional recognition of National Homeownership Month and the importance of homeownership in the United States.

Owning a home is a fundamental part of the American dream and is the largest personal investment most families will ever make. For millions of families across this country, a home is more than just a symbol of the American dream. It is the backbone of the American way of life.

Despite all that's occurring in the housing market, we need to remember that homeownership has historically been the single largest creator of wealth for most Americans. Not only does homeownership provide economic security by building wealth over time; it also strengthens and builds communities. Affordable housing is vital to resolving the current crisis the United States' housing market has in preserving homeownership.

National Homeownership Month is a reminder of the importance of housing issues in America. This bipartisan resolution, 1271, recognizes the need for National Homeownership Month and for the overall importance of homeownership in America.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution to reinforce our commitment to housing opportunities and to help guarantee the dream of homeownership for more American families.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I thank my friend for his comments earlier.

I want to, once again, commend Representative Miller for his resolution. I

think it's important in the context of this discussion, however, to make certain that the Nation understands and that our colleagues appreciate that much work has been done to make certain that individuals are able to remain in their homes. There are remarkable programs that have helped, literally, millions of Americans remain in their homes, programs that we strongly support and encourage the expansion of.

So I want to, once again, commend my friend from California for introducing this resolution, and I want to thank my friend for his comments.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Madam Speaker, here it is, Monday, at 12:38 p.m. We find the House back in order for another week. What will we be doing this week?

Well, Madam Speaker, we're going to pass a bill that recognizes the achievements of America's high school valedictorians of the class of 2008. We're going to pass a bill honoring the life and musical accomplishments and contributions of Louis Jordan on the 100th anniversary of his birth. We're going to pass a bill that recognizes Pittsfield, Massachusetts as being the home of the earliest known reference to the word ``baseball'' in the United States. We're going to pass a bill supporting the goals and ideals of Black Music Month and to honor the outstanding contributions of African American singers. We're going to pass a bill expressing the sense of Congress that schools in the United States should honor the contributions of individuals from the territories of the United States. We're going to pass a bill naming a veterans' outpatient clinic in Wenatchee, Washington. We're going to pass a bill naming a veterans' center in Tampa, Florida. We're going to pass a bill recognizing National Homeownership Month and the importance of homeownership in the United States. We're going to pass a bill expressing support for the designation of September 2008 as the Gospel Music Heritage Month. We're going to pass a bill naming a post office in Indianola, Mississippi. We're going to pass a bill honoring the life of Robert Mondavi.

Madam Speaker, all of those are important things, and they would be fine for us to do if we were dealing with the number one issue of Americans across this Nation, and that is the issue of gas prices and energy supply in the United States.

Last week, the Speaker told us that we would be dealing with the issue this week, possibly, although it's not on the list--but possibly--and there may be four bills that they'll bring forward, that the majority party will bring forward. One is to increase regulation. That ought to do a lot to increase supply. One is to require that oil companies holding Federal leases use them or lose them. That will not do much to increase supply because it's already the law of the land. We're going to pass a bill to pay transit fares--bus tickets--for folks. It's not a bad idea, maybe, but what will that do for supply? We're going to pass an antiprice-gouging measure that the House has already passed on a number of occasions. That's not doing a thing for supply.

Facts are troubling things, and the fact right now is that this House of Representatives is doing nothing, nothing to increase the supply of gasoline for the United States, nothing to increase American energy for Americans. Consequently, what we see are record gas prices continuing-- $4.08 over the weekend, $4.10, I understand, today. There are a couple of other interesting facts, Madam Speaker.

The United States has expanded its dependence on foreign members of OPEC by a full 7 percent in 2007 alone.

Another fact, Madam Speaker, is that the United States is the only developed nation in the world that forbids safe energy production on its Outer Continental Shelf, deep sea exploration. The only nation in the world.

Another fact, Madam Speaker, is that the U.S. Minerals Management Service estimates that America's Outer Continental Shelf contains nearly 86 billion barrels of oil, enough oil to replace OPEC imports for 50 years.

Another fact, Madam Speaker, is that, when bills to increase the supply of gas for Americans and American energy for Americans have come to the floor of this House, 81 percent of the time, Republicans have supported those bills; 83 percent of the time, Democrats have opposed those bills.

So the law of supply and demand is clear. If you increase supply, you decrease the cost, and you decrease the price at the pump. So, yes, we need to conserve. Yes, we need to make certain that we find alternative fuel sources for the future, but right now, in the short term, in the near term, it's incumbent upon this House to make certain that we increase supply.

American energy for Americans.

There are easy ways to do that. What we demand is that the House be allowed to vote.

Mr. Speaker, it's a privilege to come to the well of the House and address this body. It's Tuesday, about 16 minutes to 1 o'clock, and the House is back in session for another week.

Today, we are going to be taking up some interesting resolutions. H.R. 1002 expresses support for the designation of April 2008 as Public Radio Recognition Month. We are going to take up House Resolution 1029, which congratulates and recognizes Chi-Chi Rodriguez for his continued success on and off the golf course. We are going to rename a post office in Cleveland, Ohio. We are going to rename another post office in Rancho Mirage, California, and we are going to recognize or have a bill that recognizes the historical significance of Juneteenth Independence Day. That's what is on tap for the House of Representatives today, Mr. Speaker.

What aren't we going to do?

Well, we aren't going to do what my constituents in the Sixth District of Georgia want us to do and what Americans all across this Nation want us to do, and that is to deal with the issue of gas prices, of rising gas prices. For another week, we're not going to deal with that because the leadership in this House, the Democrat leadership in this House, will not allow the bills to come to the floor that will increase American energy for Americans.

The average gas price in this Nation today, Mr. Speaker, is $4.08 a gallon. In California, it's $4.60 a gallon. In Connecticut, it's $4.38 a gallon. Now, facts are stubborn things, Mr. Speaker, but there are some laws of economics that are driving all of this.

Part of it, not all of it, is supply and demand, and there are some other facts that are important for all of us to appreciate. The United States expanded its dependence on foreign members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries--that's OPEC, Mr. Speaker--by a full 7 percent in 2007 alone. That means we increased our dependence on foreign oil. The United States is the only developed Nation in the world that forbids, that forbids, Mr. Speaker, safe energy production in its Outer Continental Shelf. That's deep sea exploration. We are the only developed Nation in the world to do this.

The U.S. Minerals Management Service estimates that America's Outer

Continental Shelf contains nearly 86 billion barrels of oil, 86 billion barrels of oil. How much is that, Mr. Speaker? It's enough oil to replace OPEC imports for 50 years. We can gain that in an environmentally sensitive and sound way without threatening the environment.

On our side of the aisle, for the Republicans, when those votes have come up in the House, 81 percent of us have supported deep sea exploration for American energy for Americans. As for the other side of the aisle, when those votes have come up, 83 percent of House Democrats have opposed this.

So, as my friend Mr. Westmoreland has said, we are going to break it down pretty simply. Who wants to bring onshore oil on line for Americans? Who wants to bring deep water oil on line for Americans? Who wants to increase refining capacity in America? American energy for Americans, which Members of this body want to do that?

We've got a petition. We've got the pens at the ready, Mr. Speaker. All it takes is for Members to step up and to find their line and sign, and if they need help finding their line, we'll be glad to help them. It's important. It's important that the American people know that this body, the House of Representatives, appreciates the challenges that they're having right now at the gas pump, with filling up their cars and their vehicles, the difficulty of the truckers across this Nation in delivering the goods and services.

It's imperative that this House of Representatives addresses the issue of conservation, yes, alternative fuel, yes, but increasing supply. When you hear our friends on the other side of the aisle, they will say, well, there's already land that has been leased to the oil companies, and they aren't using it. Well, you're right. They're not using it because there's no oil underneath it. They need to go where the oil is, and the oil is demonstrated in the deep sea exploration that we ought to allow.

So, Mr. Speaker, I'm proud to stand here with my colleague who has brought forward the kind of clear evidence that Members of this House can demonstrate to their constituents back home and to their colleagues here in the House. It's time to increase American supply of American energy for Americans. I call on the leadership, on the Speaker of the House and on the leadership of the majority party--the Democrats--to bring those bills forward. Let us vote.