American-Made Energy and Good Jobs Act

AMERICAN-MADE ENERGY AND GOOD JOBS ACT

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Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Madam Speaker, I rise today to strongly oppose this rule, the attempt to open the Arctic Wildlife Refuge to industrial development.

We have just heard previous speakers on the other side of the aisle talk about safe development, high-tech, and how there is no risk in drilling in ANWR. Well, just this past March, we are reminded of the potential environmental consequences of drilling. In the Alaskan refuge area, we need to protect this pristine environment. Why? Just recently, an Alaskan pipeline leaked 200,000 gallons of crude oil, just this past March. This is the largest spill ever in the north slope, and it should be a timely caution to all of us against opening the Arctic refuge to drilling.

Because I have visited the Arctic refuge and seen its unique wilderness firsthand, such news as leaks in pipelines, dumping 200,000 gallons of crude oil onto the Alaskan soil, strengthens my resolve to protect this refuge and press for real solutions to our country's energy challenges. This rule would do nothing more than to continue our pattern of unchecked consumption. It is another attempt to sell Americans the false promise of easy answers to our energy policy.

With the booming economies of China and India squeezing the global oil supply, and the political instability among key oil producing countries such as Iran, Nigeria, and Iraq, we should be expecting rising oil prices for some time to come. Our energy situation will not change until this Republican-led Congress gets serious about attacking America's oil dependency.

The proposal to open ANWR is a shortsighted answer to a long-term problem, and I urge my colleagues to vote against the rule and the bill.

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