K-D-K-D-K
12-28-2007, 07:54 AM
Senators Mary Landrieu and David Vitter should be commended for standing up for state.
They did the right thing in opposing the House approved energy bill that would have extracted more than $12 billion from the oil and gas industry — the very industry that supports 320,000 Louisiana jobs and has a $70 billion positive economic impact on our great state
Both senators put the interest of Louisiana first, which is what we want our elected officials to do. I am certain that this was a difficult vote for Sen. Landrieu — she was the deciding vote and the only Democrat that voted against her party's majority.
The version of the energy bill approved by the U.S. House of Representatives sought to rollback an incentive program that was enacted under the Clinton administration to encourage development of oil and gas resources in the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
The program has been very successful. The benefits to Louisiana have been tremendous. Without the exploration and production of oil and gas from the Gulf of Mexico, America's energy security would be threatened. Our nation would be more, not less, dependent upon foreign sources of oil from unstable regimes. The price of energy to heat, cool and light our homes and fuel our cars would be even higher.
Neither Congress nor the national press gave very little attention to Louisiana and the Gulf of Mexico a decade ago when oil was near the $10 mark. They did not seriously look at the wetlands issue until faced with the destruction of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Hindsight is great. However, the foresight offered by Sen. Landrieu and Sen. Vitter shows the interests of Louisiana were not forgotten or lost in some political squabble.
The compromise energy bill may not do enough to solve all our energy problems. However, it is a first step, a first step that was aided by the courageous actions of the Louisiana delegation. We can be grateful for that.
Chris John
President, Louisiana Mid-Continent
Oil and Gas Association
This is really good news for Louisiana
http://www.thenewsstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071228/OPINION03/712280306/1014/OPINION
They did the right thing in opposing the House approved energy bill that would have extracted more than $12 billion from the oil and gas industry — the very industry that supports 320,000 Louisiana jobs and has a $70 billion positive economic impact on our great state
Both senators put the interest of Louisiana first, which is what we want our elected officials to do. I am certain that this was a difficult vote for Sen. Landrieu — she was the deciding vote and the only Democrat that voted against her party's majority.
The version of the energy bill approved by the U.S. House of Representatives sought to rollback an incentive program that was enacted under the Clinton administration to encourage development of oil and gas resources in the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
The program has been very successful. The benefits to Louisiana have been tremendous. Without the exploration and production of oil and gas from the Gulf of Mexico, America's energy security would be threatened. Our nation would be more, not less, dependent upon foreign sources of oil from unstable regimes. The price of energy to heat, cool and light our homes and fuel our cars would be even higher.
Neither Congress nor the national press gave very little attention to Louisiana and the Gulf of Mexico a decade ago when oil was near the $10 mark. They did not seriously look at the wetlands issue until faced with the destruction of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Hindsight is great. However, the foresight offered by Sen. Landrieu and Sen. Vitter shows the interests of Louisiana were not forgotten or lost in some political squabble.
The compromise energy bill may not do enough to solve all our energy problems. However, it is a first step, a first step that was aided by the courageous actions of the Louisiana delegation. We can be grateful for that.
Chris John
President, Louisiana Mid-Continent
Oil and Gas Association
This is really good news for Louisiana
http://www.thenewsstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071228/OPINION03/712280306/1014/OPINION