ANWR Designation is an Energy Moratorium

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address an
area of great concern. The Obama administration has just announced
their intention to designate more than 12 million acres of the Arctic
National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska as wilderness.

Now, this move would place a de facto moratorium on oil and gas
production on the largest onshore, unexplored, and potentially
productive areas in the United States.

While this area only represents about 8 percent of the total size of
ANWR, the Energy Information Administration suggests a great potential
for the recovery of oil and gas based upon nearby plays in Canada.

Mr. Speaker, the President often touts America's move towards greater
energy independence. The irony is that most of that, much of this
production has occurred on private lands and by private hands. Placing
new prohibitions on Federal lands is simply doublespeak.

Thomas Edison once said, and I quote, ``Seeming to do is not doing.''

Mr. Speaker, while we may not be focused on energy prices at the
moment, planning for the future is as prudent as it is wise. I
encourage the administration to think about our future. The American
people deserve as much.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source