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House Democratic leaders said today they plan to bring to the floor next week a "production" energy bill aimed at forcing oil companies to drill on leased lands in the continental United States as well as in Alaska.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California and other top Democrats unveiled a legislative package that would require oil companies to drill on already-leased land before acquiring new leases and require the Bureau of Land Management to offer leases on roughly 20 million acres in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska every year.
The measure would also ban oil companies from exporting oil drilled in Alaska and attempt to speed construction of the Alaska natural gas pipeline and oil pipeline.
The proposal highlights an ongoing philosophical shift among Democrats, who appear to be increasingly willing to back legislation to increase fossil fuel production.
During the press conference, Democrats repeatedly emphasized that they support domestic production, contrary to the claims from the Republican side of the aisle. "Democrats support increasing the domestic production of petroleum and other energy sources," said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland.
Pelosi said she anticipates bringing the bill to the floor under suspension, possibly as soon as next week. That move would require approval of two-thirds of the House but would also preclude consideration of Republican amendments to allow more drilling offshore or in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
"We work very hard to build consensus," Pelosi said in response to questions about how Democrats were planning to move the bill. "When we get it, we try to move forward."
Republicans, meanwhile, are continuing to press Pelosi to allow a vote on expanding offshore drilling. Democrats have shelved work on spending bills because GOP members are pushing for committee votes on drilling amendments.
"That should be debated vigorously in Congress, but it should be debated on the House floor, not just something we talk about on talk shows," Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.) said at an Appropriations Committee oversight hearing on commodity markets today.
"Why should we blame our prices on someone else when we are unwilling to drill and unwilling to build refineries?" Kingston asked.
'A hoax'
But Pelosi and other top Democrats brushed aside such suggestions, saying their legislation would offer Republicans an opportunity to support increased domestic production.
"This call for drilling in areas that are protected is a hoax," Pelosi said. "If they want to drill ... we support the drilling."
Pelosi and other Democrats maintain there is little likelihood that increased domestic production will have a substantial impact on prices in the short run. Instead, Pelosi said she would continue to press the White House to release oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), saying such a move is the single most significant thing that could be done in the near term.
"It's the fastest thing we can do -- taking oil out of the SPR in a strategic, responsible way is the fastest thing we can do to lower prices at the pump," she said.
Pelosi also said she expects to bring to the floor soon separate legislation dealing with energy market speculation.
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