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Earlier CDFE Web

 

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July 14, 2008
President Bush has lifted the off-shore drilling ban
Democrats remain a roadblock to lower prices 

President Bush has lifted the old executive order that banned off-shore drilling. Now, will Congress act as well to lift its ban on exploration off the coasts?  The president called on Congress to open the same areas to exploration.  

The outer continental shelf (OCS) is estimated to contain about 420 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and 86 billion barrels of oil - equal to 147 years of imports from Saudi Arabia.  85% of the OCS is off-limits due to the remaining congressional ban.

Democrats in Congress have neither the votes nor the support to block off-shore oil and gas production. They have twice pulled legislation to which Congressman John Peterson (R-PA) could attach his amendment to open OCS, knowing their anti-corporate agenda would fail.

If Congress doesn’t renew its ban on drilling in the outer continental shelf (OCS), it will expire at the end of the fiscal year, September 30.  If it is renewed, the president could veto the entire appropriations bill to which it would be attached.

Many have welcomed seeing President Bush use the “bully pulpit” to explain to the American people that it is Democrat leadership that is keeping their gasoline prices high. It’s time all America told Democrats, “Don’t Drill Is Not An Energy Policy.”