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U.S. House supports ANWR drilling
The U.S. House Committee on Resources delivered a sound (30-13) bipartisan thumping April 13 to Democratic efforts to prevent oil production in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
House Resources Chairman Richard Pombo, R-Calif., said America’s federal resources, including the 10.4 billion barrels of oil in the northern coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, will supply energy that continues to be the lifeblood of the American economy.
“That’s twice as much as all the oil in Texas,” he said. “Today we declared a start to the end of the days of exporting American jobs and money overseas for our energy needs.”
Still, environmentalists complain oil drilling will harm caribou, migratory birds and other wildlife.
Noting near-record high oil prices, Pombo observed that U.S. dependence on foreign oil has more than doubled in the past 30 years, climbing to 60 percent from 30 percent in the 1970s.
“It is a shame we have had to return to this so often, but we do now have the best chance to open ANWR since President Clinton vetoed the bill in 1995,” said U.S. Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska. “This is just the first step on the House side, but the 30-13 vote is the strongest support we have ever had. I believe we can keep this support before the full House, and I think we are well on our way to approving the opening of ANWR.” Not only will ANWR supply the nation with much-needed energy, its oil production also will make the country safer and create jobs across America, Young said. Dependence on foreign oil an issue Pombo and Young said ANWR oil will help reverse U.S. dependence on foreign oil and fulfill a promise to Alaska Natives, who recognize that revenues generated from the oil production will help impoverished rural villages escape Third World living conditions.
The Resources Committee also overwhelmingly approved the Set America Free Act, which proposes to entirely end America’s cross-Atlantic energy dependence by 2025. This title establishes a U.S. commission with 16 representatives from Canada, Mexico and the United States to examine all of the continent’s resources and stop U.S. reliance on energy from rogue nations.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee also cleared its energy provisions by a 39-15 vote late April 13.
The Resources portion of the energy bill will now join with the Energy and Commerce Committee and Ways and Means Committee’s portions of the legislation for debate on the House floor.
The Domestic Energy Security Act mirrors an energy bill the House passed nearly two years ago, only to have it die in the Senate. A vote by the full House is likely the week of April 18.
—Rose Ragsdale
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