A little over a week ago, the U.S. Senate had the chance to help the United States wean itself off of foreign oil in the future. Several senators introduced the American Energy Production Act of 2008. The bill would open domestic oil production in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) and in the deepwater Outer Continental Shelf. The bill also would boost fuel production from oil shale coal-to-liquids technology. It was offered as an amendment to S. 2284.
It was defeated 56-42 (Vote #123). Senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester voted against the amendment. By the way, Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton voted against it, too.
It appears the democrats main goal is to tax the businesses that produce the oil. Seems to me that taxing a business for the goods they sell will cause them to increase their prices or maybe lower their production and make us import more oil. Maybe both.
On January 4, 2007, Nancy Pelosi assumed duties as the Speaker of the House and the Democrats took control of the U.S. House and U.S. Senate. That week, a gallon of gas was about $2.30 and barrel of oil was around $62.00. Now it’s hitting $3.80 for a gallon of gas, and a barrel of oil is around $135.00. Thank you, Nancy, Harry, Max and Jon.
U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) recently wrote:
Many of us have been fighting for increased domestic oil and gas production in Congress for years. Unfortunately, in 1995, when oil was $19 a barrel, President Clinton vetoed legislation passed by the House and the Senate to begin drilling in ANWR. If not for that veto, we would now be producing one million barrels of our own oil a day, the amount we import from Saudi Arabia every day.
That was about 13 years ago. In another 13 years, what will be the price of a gallon of gas? $5.00? $6.00? $10.00 or more?
It’s time to look at everything, which includes increasing our domestic oil production along with developing wind, biofuels, nuclear, and solar energy. Yes, that includes building more refineries. Everything must be on the table to solve our energy problem. We are one hurricane away in the Gulf of Mexico from seeing these prices increase even more. That’s why everything must be on the table. Everything.
The Western Word 
Anon – I guess it does not matter what we leave for our children and grandchildren. Almost every politician talks about the next generation; I think it’s time they do a little more than talk. -Jack
And what about 13 years from now?30 years from now?100 years from now?Who cares, right? We’ll all be dead!
If we’d done it 13 years ago, it might have helped with the situation we are facing today. -Jack
Yes, it is important that we start drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge right away! Before that oil, umm, evaporates or something.