Senate Proceeding 09-22-09 on Sep 22nd, 2009 :: 4:04:25 to 4:15:30
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4:04:18 to 4:04:38( Edit History Discussion )

David Vitter: without objection. the presiding officer: the senator from louisiana. mr. vitter: madam president, i ask unanimous consent to set aside the pending amendment to call up amendment number 2454. mrs. feinstein: madam president, i object. the presiding officer: objection is heard. mr. vitter: madam president -- the presiding officer: the senator from louisiana.

4:04:25 to 4:15:30( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: David Vitter

4:04:39 to 4:04:59( Edit History Discussion )

David Vitter: mr. vitter: thank you, madam president. madam president, i find this very, very frustrating. and, as i understand it, the chair whose handling the bill on the floor is not objecting personally, but on -- on behalf of s i find it frustrating because

4:05:00 to 4:05:21( Edit History Discussion )

David Vitter: this is a amendment to the bill. it's a limitation amendment which is completely germane to the bill. i don't think there's any reasonable argument that something so directly pertinent and germane shouldn't be open for discuion and vote on the senate floor. and i really think, quite frankly, it's unreasonable for

4:05:22 to 4:05:44( Edit History Discussion )

David Vitter: senator amendment in this way. but, having been forced to do this, let me now send to the desk a motion to recommit with instructions so that this amendment can be considered heard in that manner. the presiding officer:

4:05:58 to 4:06:18( Edit History Discussion )

David Vitter: will report the motion. the clerk: the louisiana, mr. vitter, moves to recommit h.r. 2996, the committee on appro the senate with instructions to repo senate amendment. the presiding officer: madam president, i ask unanimous consent to waive reading of the whole. the presiding officer: without objection.

4:06:19 to 4:06:39( Edit History Discussion )

David Vitter: mr. vitter: madam president, i'd be happy to explain the substance of this. again, i'm forced to file this motion to recommit simply to have this germane, relevant amendment heard and voted on with regard to the bill. so what does the amendment madam president, the amendment's very straightforward.

4:06:40 to 4:07:01( Edit History Discussion )

David Vitter: it simply says none of the fun made available by this act shall be used to delay proposed outer continental shelf oil and gas leasing program for 2010 to 2015 issued by the secretary of the interior under section 18 of the continental shelf lands act.

4:07:02 to 4:07:24( Edit History Discussion )

David Vitter: madam president, we all know that we face enormous energy needs in this country. that became particularly acute and particularly summer when the price at the pump, quite frankly, went through the roof and rose to $4 a gallon per gasoline.

4:07:25 to 4:07:45( Edit History Discussion )

David Vitter: at that time people rightly enraged that we weren't doing more to control our own destiny and our own future. and people started demanding that congress act -- that congress do something with regardo oil and gas and other energy resources we have right

4:07:46 to 4:08:06( Edit History Discussion )

David Vitter: here at home. madam president, that's when the petion began, drill here, that's when every member of this congress was del deluged with calls an e-mails and letters saying, let's get a hold of our own destiny and produce that energy which we have right here at

4:08:07 to 4:08:29( Edit History Discussion )

David Vitter: home. in that time period, madam president, last year congress heard that message loud and clear. and so for the first time in years, the moratorium on offshore oil-and-gas production was lifted by congress. and president bush similarly

4:08:30 to 4:08:51( Edit History Discussion )

David Vitter: lifted a more limited executive moratorium on offshore production. and so those barriers and tho hurdles were finally lifted because of the demands of the american people. when the american people said very loudly, very clearly, this is ridiculous, we have resources here at home.

4:08:52 to 4:09:12( Edit History Discussion )

David Vitter: we have domestic energy. let's use that domestic energy rather than being held hostage by foreign powers. well, madam president, that was real progress. that was moving, certainly, in right direction. the problem is, madam president, the new administration and the new secretary of the int

4:09:13 to 4:09:34( Edit History Discussion )

David Vitter: have made it clear that despite all of those actions, despite all of that clear communication by the american people, despite congress taking that historic action of lifting the moratorium, and despite the previous administration lifting the executive moratorium, they are not in any hurry and they're

4:09:35 to 4:09:56( Edit History Discussion )

David Vitter: not going to take any action in the near future to move forward with the 2010 to 2015 offshore planning area and lease sales. and so, madam president, what, unfortunately, secretary salazar has said pretty clearly is he's not going to take action in the

4:09:57 to 4:10:17( Edit History Discussion )

David Vitter: foreseeable future to actually move forward with that going after domestic production and domestic resources. madam president, that is really a shame. because while the price at the pump has stablized somewhat from last summer -- and that's a good thing -- the need, particularly

4:10:18 to 4:10:38( Edit History Discussion )

David Vitter: the medium and long-term need is still there. over the next 20 years, u.s. demand for energy son-in-law going to grow -- energy is only going to particularly going to grow as we get out of this recession and come back into a more normal economy. overall, it's expected to grow

4:10:39 to 4:11:00( Edit History Discussion )

David Vitter: at an annual rate of that's going to demand more energy. we need to conserve. we need technology, we need to develop new energy sources. but that need is still going to grow so that short-term we will have increased demand for the types of energy we use

4:11:01 to 4:11:21( Edit History Discussion )

David Vitter: now, we have enormous potential right here at home. the question which this amendment poses is: are we going to tap that potential or are we going to use the resources we have so that we can't be held hostage anyonger by hostile foreign powers. according to conservative

4:11:22 to 4:11:44( Edit History Discussion )

David Vitter: estimates from m.m.s., madam president, there are about 288 trillion cubic feed of natural gas and 52 billion barrels of oil in the o.c.f. off the lower 48 states. that's an enormous amount of energy as yet untapped. that's enough oil

4:11:45 to 4:12:05( Edit History Discussion )

David Vitter: current production for 105 years. that's enough natural gas maintain production for 71 years. it's enough oil to produce gasoline for 132 million cars and eating oil for 54 million homes for 15 years. it's enough natural gas to eat

4:12:06 to 4:12:26( Edit History Discussion )

David Vitter: 72 -- heat 72 million homes for 60 years or to supply current industrial and commercial needs for 28 years. or to supply current electricity generating needs for 53 years. further, the m.m.s. reports that the waters off alaska's coast

4:12:27 to 4:12:47( Edit History Discussion )

David Vitter: hold about 27 billion barrels of oil and 132 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. and that's in addition to all of the potential, all of the resources i was just talking about. madam president, make no miss sake about it, we need -- madam president, make no mistake about it, we need to move to a

4:12:48 to 4:13:09( Edit History Discussion )

David Vitter: new energyuture. we need to develop new technology. we need to develop new sources of energy. but we need a bridge to get to that future, and certainly current fuels, oil and natural gas, particularly natural gas, which is a relatively clean burning fuel, are an absolutely

4:13:10 to 4:13:31( Edit History Discussion )

David Vitter: vital bridge to get to that future. so, madam president, the american people are scratching their head. we have enormous need, particularly the need to build an energy bridge to a new, exciting the good news is, we have enormous domestic resources that

4:13:32 to 4:13:52( Edit History Discussion )

David Vitter: can help get us there, particularly natural gas. so why aren't we matching those two things that should match up so well. the american people demanded that last summer because of their loud and clear voice, got dramatic action out of congress, lifting the moratoria.

4:13:53 to 4:14:14( Edit History Discussion )

David Vitter: the problem is, the new administration and the new secretary of the simply saying, well, we're not in any hurry to get there. we're not going to lift a finger to actually move forward with the concrete work that needs to be done. that's really inappropriate.

4:14:15 to 4:14:37( Edit History Discussion )

David Vitter: that's just ignoring the clear clarion call of the american people. and so, madam president, again, that brings us to my amendment, amendment number 2454, which my motion to recommit would add to the bill. and, again, madam president, it simply says, "none of the funds made available by this act shall

4:14:38 to 4:14:59( Edit History Discussion )

David Vitter: be used to delay the draft proposed outer continental shelf oil 20 secretary of the interior under section 18 of the outer continental shelf lands act. madam president, the american people have spoken -- drill

4:15:00 to 4:15:22( Edit History Discussion )

David Vitter: here, drill now -- build an important brig bridge t no, it's not the bridge but it's a necessary bridge to get there. let's adopt that common sense of the american people. let's respond to that clear call of the american people dating back to last summer.

4:15:23 to 4:15:30( Edit History Discussion )

David Vitter: let's pass this clear limitation amendment, perfectly germane to this bill, so we can move forward with developing our domestic energy resources right