Statement by Kathleen Hartnett White, Director of the Center for Natural Resources

Statement by Kathleen Hartnett White, Director of the Center for Natural Resources

On the refusal of congressional leadership to allow an energy debate

“The American public knows that the congressional bans on drilling are artificially inflating their gasoline prices and shipping tanker-loads of American wealth to unsavory regimes around the world. Yet the congressional leadership continues to defy the clearly expressed will of the majority of the American public and its own membership.

“The United States’ energy system has been built over more than 100 years and cannot be replaced overnight. No matter how much some Washington politicians want to wish away petroleum-based fossil fuels, the reality is that there is no feasible near-term alternative.

“Expanded domestic exploration and drilling are essential to lowering gasoline prices. America has plentiful oil resources now off-limits, and tapping those will reduce our dependence on foreign oil and strengthen our national security.

“Repealing the congressional drilling bans can quickly reduce gasoline prices, as the market anticipates greater American supply in the near future. Hopefully the public will drill, drill, drill that point home to their congressmen during the five weeks that they’re back in their districts while this crisis festers.”

About the Texas Public Policy Foundation: TPPF is a non-profit, free-market research institute based in Austin, Texas.

About Kathleen Hartnett White: Ms. White is the Director of the Center for Natural Resources at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, and the former Chair of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

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