Clyburn Supports Drilling

Press Release

Clyburn Supports Drilling

Calls on Energy Industry to Drill Untapped and Available 80 Million Acres, Not Protected Offshore Areas

In Response to a Presidential Executive Order lifting the ban on offshore oil drilling, House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn today called on the energy industry to tap the 68 million acres of public land onshore and offshore currently open and available for energy production in the United States in order to combat supply shortfalls and high energy prices. Clyburn also renewed his call for President Bush to release oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve—an action taken at least three times by past presidents. Following is his statement.

"President Bush and Vice President Cheney are products of the oil industry. Rather than demanding that energy companies drill on the 68 million acres of land available to them, they're opening even more taxpayer-owned public land for production--giving big oil another monopoly on our nation's energy resources with no promise of any additional production or reduction in price. It's not enough that on the backs of American families, record gas prices are delivering record profits for the oil industry. This is flat out robbery.

"The President could take a more effective step to address high gas prices in the near-term by releasing oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, a step taken by President Clinton, and his father, President George H.W. Bush.

"But it's clear, President Bush and Vice President Cheney are more interested in working for their friends in the oil and gas companies, rather than for the interests of the American people. It's time for change—a New Direction for America."

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