Indiana Public Radio

Interview with Brian Beaver

August 12, 2008

<http://www.bsu.edu/web/ipr/audio/IPR-Mike_Pence.aiff>

Brian Beaver: You guys have had this event going on on the House floor
for days and I know that you said yesterday on Limbaugh---I'm
paraphrasing you---that if it took a shut down of the government to get
attention, serious attention, drawn to this -- so be it, if that's how
it has to be. And then last night, Speaker Pelosi says "I'm open to a
vote now." How big a step is that in this ongoing process?

Congressman Pence: Well Brian, I think that it's a very significant
statement by Speaker Nancy Pelosi last night that, to use her words, the
House "can have a vote" on more domestic drilling. This represents
evidence that the Democratic leadership is hearing from the American
people, is hearing from many Democrats in the Congress who would like
the opportunity to vote on more domestic drilling. And I welcome it. But
I still believe Congress should not wait until this fall or sometime
around Christmas after the elections to give American people more access
to American oil. Now that the Speaker has opened up the opportunity for
an up or down vote on more domestic drilling, along with conservation,
along with solar, wind, alternative, renewable energies, I think
Congress should come back in session immediately and \[let's\] take this
opportunity we have to do something important for the American people.

Brian Beaver: How surprised were you in her change of position?

Congressman Pence: Well I was very surprised. I was aware that the
Speaker was going to be on Larry King Live. I was in the air back to
Indiana after a day on the floor and my crack press team, Karen Pence
and Michael J. Pence immediately called me when I landed and immediately
played the replay of Larry King over my cell phone...and it was
encouraging. I was humbled that a video clip of our work was included,
but I was very moved. I really believe this business of energy
independence is not a Republican issue, it's not a Democrat issue, I
think it's an American issue. And I think there'll be enough credit to
go around, Brian. If Congress were to meet next week, pass a bipartisan
bill that included new conservation, new fuel efficiency, solar, wind
and more domestic drilling, I really believe that frankly both parties
would benefit in equal measure. And then we can move on and fight the
next Presidential election on the other remaining issues. This is an
issue that's hurting families here in East Central Indiana, it's hurting
school systems that are starting to go back and trying to figure out how
they're going to pay to keep the buses rolling; it's hurting the farmers
and seniors and I just think regardless of the politics, Congress ought
to come together and get something done for the American people.

Brian Beaver: Having a vote is one thing, winning that vote is another
thing. Do you have the people lined up in place to maybe win this vote
if or when it takes place?

Congressman Pence: Brian, I have always believed that we have arrived at
a moment---and maybe it was with the advent of \$4/gallon gas earlier
this year---there is a bipartisan majority in Congress today that would
vote for comprehensive energy legislation that included more domestic
drilling. That's not been true in the past. I've said many times, in the
darkened chamber of the House of Representatives surrounded by tourists,
that anyone that wants to criticize Republicans for not having voted for
more drilling in the past has no argument with me -- we couldn't get it
done when we were in charge. But something changed in the last year and
a half, and I'm pretty sure its \$4/gallon gas. And the reality is that
I think there are between 20 -- 40 Democrats in the Congress who would
join virtually every Republican in voting for a balanced bill that had a
long-term strategy for energy independence and included drilling.

Brian Beaver: The Speaker's adamantly opposed to offshore drilling or
the expansion of it. Why do you think it's important for our country to
do more offshore drilling for oil as part of a bigger picture?

Congressman Pence: Well, I just believe that most Hoosiers know that the
only way that we can lessen our dependence on foreign oil is by
beginning to take advantage of the vast natural resources off the East
Coast, off the West Coast, in the Gulf and in some unexplored areas of
Alaska. The reality is that the price of oil per barrel has gone up for
many reasons, but the biggest reason is global demand. Countries like
China and India are rapidly expanding their economies and their oil
consumption and so the only antidote to that is going to be for us in
the short term to increase global supply of which we have enormous
reserves off our shores and in the Gulf. But also, the other piece
and---this is where Republicans largely misunderstood---I also believe
we've got to have a long term strategy to wean ourselves off fossil
fuels. I think we ought to start building nuclear power plants for our
electrical needs, I think we ought to move towards greater conservation
efforts, encouraging more efficient use of fuel for businesses and
vehicles, and of course solar and wind and other renewables have to be a
part of that. That's the long-term, but in the short term, the next 10
-- 20 years, we simply have to increase global supply. And if the polls
are to be believed, the American people are there. They are with those
of us that want to see an energy bill passed with more drilling and I
expect if the Congress came back in session next week, I believe a
comprehensive bill with more drilling would pass handily.

Brian Beaver: Last topic, Russia's military move into Georgia. BP shut
down at least one of its pipelines in Georgia today. There are reports
that as many as three were shut down as a preventative measure. How much
concern do you have about where this Russian military aggression into
Georgia is going, may go?

Congressman Pence: Let me just say that I approve of the implication in
your question. From my vantage point and sources that I trust, this is
not a dispute between Georgia and Russia with blame on either side. This
is an example of unbridled Russian aggression against a former satellite
state in the former Soviet Union. And as the President has said, the
military response by Russia and the military incursion was utterly
disproportionate to any explanation that Russia has given. I'm very
dubious about the supposed ceasefire that Russia has announced. News
organizations on the ground have indicated that hostilities are
continuing. Gori, the major city in central Georgia, was being bombed
after the President of Russia had announced a ceasefire. I think it's
extremely important the President's return to Washington. It will be
very important for the West to learn the lessons of 1948 and to ensure
that hostilities cease, that human suffering comes to an end, and that
humanitarian aid is delivered but that also the status quo prior to the
Russian incursion is restored. South Ossetia may be a disputed area that
the two countries come to terms with as a shared province, but the
fundamental sovereignty of Georgia must be respected by the Russians,
they must pull back -- otherwise, history will record, as the West did
when Hitler moved into Czechoslovakia to supposedly protect the
interests of German citizens and the West went to Munich and signed a
deal giving away that country -- if we allow Georgia to be consumed by a
resurgent Russia, then Ukraine and other neighboring countries would
have reason to fear. We need to dig in, take a stand for Georgia's
sovereignty and I'm confident that the United States and Britain and our
allies in NATO will do just that.