_______________________, read first time and referred to Committee on
MADAM PRESIDENT:
I offer the following resolution and move its adoption:
A SENATE RESOLUTION opposing the limiting of domestic
oil and gas production.
Whereas, The future growth of the United States
economy requires a wide variety of energy sources, including
domestic oil and gas production, alternative and renewable
energy, and increased conservation;
Whereas, As a matter of national policy, the United
States needs to reduce its long-term dependence on foreign
energy sources for both economic security and national
security reasons;
Whereas, Two-thirds of Americans support domestic oil
and gas production to reduce our reliance on imports and to
increase our energy security;
Whereas, Developing and expanding domestic energy
supplies are good for the United States economy in the short
term and long term because balanced development of
America's energy resources will generate more than 160,000
much-needed American jobs, could generate more than $1.7
trillion in government revenue for local, state, and federal
government and billions of dollars in new investment, and
will reduce oil imports, stemming the flow of United States
dollars for energy purchases to foreign governments;
Whereas, Alternative energy sources, such as wind,
solar, hydro, and geothermal, offer promise for the future
and deserve support, but because they are not yet able to
meet our domestic energy needs, we must increase our
domestic supply of oil;
Whereas, The United States possesses an estimated 116.4
billion barrels of oil and 650.9 trillion cubic feet of natural
gas across all federal lands, enough to fuel 65 million cars
for 60 years and 60 million households for 160 years, and
those energy sources can be affordably developed;
Whereas, New drilling techniques and environmentally
sound technologies have made finding and tapping oil and
gas in the continental United States and on the Outer
Continental Shelf (OCS) potential new sources of domestic
supply;
Whereas, If the federal government would approve the
leases today, it will still take five to ten years from the time
land is leased to produce oil and gas;
Whereas, The balanced exploration and development of
all domestic energy sources are in the economic security and
national security interest of the citizens of the United States;
and
Whereas, The people of Indiana support the balanced
development of domestic energy sources and recognize the
economic benefits of a national energy policy that promotes
a balanced energy approach that includes increasing
domestic oil and gas supplies: Therefore,
SECTION 1. That the Indiana Senate opposes any federal
government policy, rule, taxation, or legislation that restricts domestic
energy exploration and development in the Arctic National Wildlife
Reserve, off Alaska's shores in the continental United States, or the
Outer Continental Shelf and urges the President, the Secretary of the
Interior and Congress to allow the continued balanced development of
United States domestic oil and gas sources and to allow the Minerals
Management Service to move forward with its draft plan to lease parts
of OCS lands that will be made available over the next five years
SECTION 2. That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of
this resolution to the President of the United States, the President Pro
Tempore of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States
House of Representatives, and the Indiana Congressional delegation.