Key Vote “NO” on the Pelosi Anti-Energy Package

On behalf of the hundreds of thousands of members of FreedomWorks nationwide, I urge you to vote “No” on the “Comprehensive American Energy Security and Taxpayer Protection Act.” This bill would: continue the faulty policy of preventing us from exploring for oil and natural gas in Alaska and in most areas off our coasts; limit energy exploration by preventing drilling within 50 miles of the coast; and impose $30 billion in new taxes on energy production.

This bill impedes the efficient expansion of the nation’s energy resources, and would prove harmful to consumers.

The provisions of this legislation will allow for some drilling on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) by allowing oil and gas leasing between 50 and 100 miles offshore. However, this provision will still prevent exploration between 3 and 50 miles of the OCS which is believed to contain much of the petroleum resources. The bill lacks the necessary energy solutions needed to improve the welfare of American consumers in a global market.

The bill will require that all oil and gas leasing be approved by the states via a state law or referendum. The approval by the states will cause unnecessary hurdles and complications.

Furthermore, the bill looks to include a variety of tax increases such as the repeal of the 2004 international tax bill (H.R. 4520) for the “Big Five” oil companies.

In sum, the proposed package of legislation amounts to government mandates rather than a real solution.  A better approach would be to expand exploration: open up the Outer Continental Shelf between 3 and 50 miles offshore, and create new opportunities to bring affordable energy to Americans.

We will count your vote on this bill as a KEY VOTE when calculating the FreedomWorks Economic Scorecard for 2008.  The FreedomWorks Economic Scorecard is used to determine eligibility for the Jefferson Award, which recognizes members of Congress with voting records that support economic freedom.