Date: 2008-05-21
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. I yield myself the balance of my time. It has been an interesting debate. Basically I have heard two contradictory arguments. One is that when the Republicans were in the majority. we didnt spend enough on social programs. I remember every year of our majority. for example. increasing veterans spending. As a matter of fact. there has been significant criticism of Republicans when we were in the majority for too much spending globally and in general. I have heard basically two different theories. So I wish that our friends on the other side the aisle would kind of choose which of the two scripts to read. Either we spent too much. or we spent too little. The reality is that in the Democrats budget. basically it is a blindfold budget. Mr. Speaker. because the minefields that are laying before the future of this Nation. the needs that we do have to look at and see how we are going to address. the major problems facing this Nation. for example. entitlement reform. all the objective. nonpartisan economists and other experts will tell us that we need to look at such matters in the future of this Nation. But they are not even touched upon. not .even mentioned. by the majority in its budget. Obviously they have a tremendous amount of increased spending. It is evident. They dont call them tax -increases. they call them the end of tax cuts. But there are massive tax increases that will be required to fund the Democrats budget. and then the great problems facing this Nation are simply in blindfold fashion ignored. So it is a very shortsighted budget. it is fiscally irresponsible. and certainly we hope that all Members will oppose it. Mr. Speaker. this rule provides obviously for consideration of the budget conference report. Budgets inevitably are a very important issue. and especially to many Americans who are taking nowadays a deeper. more careful look into their own budgets. because every day the rising cost of gasoline is taking more and more of their hardearned income. Part of the reason that we are seeing increasing gas prices is because we have become more and more dependent on foreign oil whileavoiding development of domestic energy sources. I learned the other day how more than 80 percent of the electricity generated in France. for example. is from nuclear power. There is a very strong environmental movement in France. and yet in consensus fashion there they have moved forwatd with nuclear energy. Imagine if we had built nuclear power plants. We havent in about 30 years. nor any refineries. Imagine the amount of oil that we would be saving. how consumption would be reduced. if we also had had the vision and the determination to build nuclear power plants. safe. new nuclear plants in this country to substitute for oil. Well. we havent. So part of the reason that we are seeing increasing gas prices is .because we have become more and more dependent on foreign oil. while avoiding developing domestic energy sources. Now. one important source of domestic energy is the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. However. efforts to develop just a tiny portion of ANWR have been fought and blocked to the detriment of Americas energy independence. even though the people of Alaska. Mr. Speaker. are overwhelmingly in favor of searching for energy there. With the price of gasoline reaching records every day. we should be looking to do all we can to lower the price of gasoline. and that includes domestic exploration. when the people of a State wish to search for energy. Today I will be asking each of my colleagues to vote "no" on the previous question to this rule. If the previous question is defeated. I will amend the rule to make it in order for the House to consider an amendment that would have the effect of lowering the national average price per gallon of regular unleaded gasoline and diesel fuel by increasing the domestic supply of oil. by permitting the extraction of oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. as the people of that great State and their Senators and Representative here in Congress wish to do. Mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of the amendment and extraneous materials immediately prior to the vote on the previous question.