Missisquoi and Trout Rivers Wild and Scenic River Study Act of 2008

MISSISQUOI AND TROUT RIVERS WILD AND SCENIC RIVER STUDY ACT OF 2008 -- (House of Representatives - September 10, 2008)

Ms. KAPTUR. I thank the gentleman for yielding, and also rise in support of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers measure related to including Vermont's Missisquoi and Trout Rivers for further assessment.

Let me also say I think it's really sad that our GOP colleagues here are trying to divert attention from this bill and trying to change the subject to something that they have a pretty dismal record on.

In fact, since the Bush administration took office, our country is now importing over 1 billion more barrels of oil a year, the price of gasoline has doubled, as every American knows, and oil company profits are through the roof. Exxon alone, Exxon alone last year, made $40.6 billion in profits, one company; BP, $20 billion; Shell, $31 billion in profits; Conoco, $15.5 billion; Chevron, $17.1 billion. That is a total, just of those companies, of $125.3 billion.

They are loving every minute of this, friends. And the question for America is, do we want our people to be dependent on a diminishing global resource that becomes more precious every day, where blood for oil is now shed around the world? That is the real question. Are we going to grow up and live in the 21st century? It is a real choice.

One of the fellows over there on the other side of the aisle said, well, we got enough votes in the House. We sure do. We passed a couple of bills and sent them over to the Senate, where they sit unpassed. For example, our bills for extension of our renewable energy credits for solar and for wind, they are sitting over in the Senate. Do you know why? There isn't a majority of Democratic votes over there. The Senate is divided. It is 49D-49R. Our Senators are sitting on their hands over there, half of them. I would say to the gentleman who says we have got enough votes here, go get your friends over there to put their blood on the line over on the other side for the American people. They are wasting an awful lot of time.

I want to say too that the President has to sign these bills. Look what he did to the agriculture bill, one of the most important bills we have brought to this floor to try to create a new biofuels industry for this country, which rural America wanted and wants and is leading into an energy independent future for this country. What did the President of the United States do? He vetoed it. We had to override the veto here and in the other body. That is the kind of mess we have got here in Washington.

Boy, do we ever need a working majority in the Senate. And we need a bigger working majority here in the House to do what the American people sent us here to do, and that is to help our children have a better future, to have an independent energy future for this country, and not to try to say that ``business as usual'' is the course of the hour. Oh, no. Our people expect us to play the piano on all keys.

Where have you been for the last 8 years and where has the President of the United States been for the last 8 years?

The Acting CHAIRMAN. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.

Mr. GRIJALVA. I yield the gentlewoman an additional 30 seconds.

The Acting CHAIRMAN. The gentlewoman from Ohio is recognized for 30 seconds.

Ms. KAPTUR. I thank you very much for yielding.

Let me just say that I represent one of the solar centers of this country, one of the three top places that are inventing the future for our people. We need the help of the President of the United States. We don't need him to hold up renewable energy credits in this body or over in the Senate. Our people have seen the future, and they are building it. We don't need to have this administration produce an energy plan back in their first year that didn't even include agriculture, not even a mention of it, and renewables, and then defunded renewables for most of the years that they sat over there on Pennsylvania Avenue.

We do need new leadership. We need a working majority in the Senate. And we need a greater working majority here and a President who will stand at the side of the American people.

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