John Tanner Tennessee District#8 ~ Letter on Energy

August 8, 2008

Mr. Don Jones

Address

Martin, Tennessee 38237

Dear Mr. Jones:

Thank you for contacting our office to express your thoughts about the energy crisis currently facing our nation. I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts with me on this extremely important issue. Over the past few months, I have received many emails, letters and phone calls from people in West and Middle Tennessee expressing their concern and their outright frustration regarding our nation's energy situation. A large number of these concerned constituents have called for more federal lands to be opened to oil and natural gas development. Let me begin by saying that I have supported and will continue to support opening up lands off our coastline and in Alaska to oil and gas development. I have voted for legislation that would grant access to these areas. I have written the Committee in the House of Representatives that is responsible for the oil and gas drilling prohibition, asking that it not be put in place again. I have also recently introduced legislation (H.R. 6817) that would lift this prohibition. Drilling is a key part of the solution, and I will continue to push for legislation that will permit more drilling.We cannot continue importing well over half of the oil that this country uses everyday. However, while the debate about drilling has caused disagreements in Washington, DC, the House of Representatives has been voting on legislation that could help bring the price of gasoline down in the short-term. During July, the House considered separate bills that would require oil companies to produce on lands that they currently have in their possession, release oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, and bring greater scrutiny and regulation to the energy futures market. Each of these bills failed with opposition from the minority party. Solving this problem is going to require a multi-faceted approach that leaves no option on the table. In the legislation I recently introduced, the money generated from more offshore drilling will be invested in development of alternative fuels and technology that improves energy efficiency. This bill also encourages the development of more nuclear power and provides tax incentives to support businesses that produce clean energy. It frustrates me that legislation opening up more lands to oil and natural gas development has not been given a vote in the Congress. However, it also concerns me that so many are convinced that more drilling is the only solution to our energy woes. It will be five to ten years before those new lands put energy products into our pipeline. While there is no doubt that we will need that oil and natural gas at that time, we also need policies that will make an impact in the shorter term and plan for a future not dominated by oil. Finally, many are upset that Congress adjourned for its August district work period without passing legislation that would open up more land to energy production. While I understand that concern, I also think that it is important that Members of Congress return to their home districts and hear the concerns of their constituents. Some have characterized this time as a "vacation"; however, during this period, I will be traveling throughout West and Middle Tennessee visiting with the people I am proud to represent. I suspect that most Members of Congress will also be spending this time period attending meetings in their districts and listening to their constituents' concerns. I find the argument that the Republicans wanted to stay in session to be somewhat disingenuous as they have offered multiple motions to adjourn the House in the past three months. In fact, a motion to adjourn was made by a Republican member most recently on July 23rd. I am not trying to point fingers, because I believe that both sides can and should do more; and I hope that Members will come back to Congress in September with a new perspective that will lead to meaningful bipartisan legislation to address this crisis. Again, I know that Tennessee families are suffering because of high energy prices. The more than $4 a gallon it is costing most Americans to fill their gas tanks is hurting family budgets and putting businesses in jeopardy. However, we did not get here overnight, and getting out of this mess is going to take time. It is going to require drilling, but it is also going to require much more. I will be urging members of the Democratic Party to support drilling on currently closed lands, and I hope that Republicans will consider supporting additional measures that address this energy crisis both now and in the future.Thank you for your comments. Please do not hesitate to contact our office if I can be of any further assistance.

Sincerely, John Tanner(D), M. C. District#8~Tennessee

Editorial : Huh ?