Researching Efficient Federal Improvements for Necessary Energy Refining Act
Floor Speech
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Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, no one has suffered more than Californians because of the left's war on fossil fuels. Forty years of folly are now driving energy prices out of reach for working families and driving those working families out of California.
In 1980, 40 refineries served the California market, producing abundant gasoline at easily affordable prices. Mr. Latta said 14 refineries were left. His numbers are old. We are now down to nine refineries, and two more of those, Phillips in southern California and Valero in northern California, are closing by April. That will leave us just seven refineries to serve the State.
Californians already pay the highest gasoline prices in the United States, averaging $4.64 a gallon as of yesterday. The same gallon costs only $2.56 in Oklahoma.
When we lose these next two refineries, economists at UC Berkeley predict Californians will be paying more than $8 a gallon by the summer. Leftwing zealots like Gavin Newsom obsess over a 1-degree rise in global temperatures over the next century, but they couldn't care less that they are making it impossible for growing numbers of Californians to heat their homes or get to work.
This is not only a quality-of-life issue for Californians and a cautionary tale for the rest of the country. It is a national security risk, as well. Forty military bases depend on these dwindling West Coast refineries. As California strangles production, we must increasingly rely on foreign imports from our enemies.
H.R. 3109 requires the National Petroleum Council to report on ways to reverse such foolish and self-destructive policies. What has happened to California is the predictable result of bad policy made by fools.
I hope the REFINER Act will shine a light on their folly and recommend ways to reverse the damage that they have caused before they can do any more harm to our Nation's prosperity and security.
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