DeMint Wants No Extension Of Drilling Ban; Starts Petition, Website

August 13, 2008 2:10 p.m. EST

Washington, D.C. (AHN) - As the House GOP began the eighth day of its offshore drilling protest on Tuesday, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) led a petition asking the Senate leadership let the ban on drilling expire on Oct. 1.

Republicans want to lift the legislative ban on coastal exploration in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) and Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). President George W. Bush already lifted a 1990 executive order last month prohibiting drilling.

The legislative moratorium expires on the first day of October, a day DeMint calls "American Energy Freedom Day."

"We strongly encourage you to allow the expiration of these prohibitions on American energy exploration and production, as scheduled under current law, and we will actively oppose any attempt to extend them. Now is not the time to deny Americans access to their own energy supply," DeMint said in a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).

The letter has been signed by 35 other lawmakers, all Republicans. A website, energyfreedomday.com, has been launched by DeMint along with Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) to gain support for the petition.

Democrats and Republicans in the Senate adjourned for the summer recess early this month without reaching an agreement about an energy bill that aimed to control excessive speculation in oil markets. Republicans were demanding that they be allowed full debate on the measure and to offer provisions lifting the ban on coastal exploration. Democrats opposed offshore drillling amendments because of environmental concerns; they also argued that speculation in energy markets is the root cause of rising oil prices.

DeMint's petition comes amid a GOP protest in the House that began nearly two weeks ago. Republican congressmen have been making speeches before an empty chamber in Congress to demand Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to hold a special session and allow a vote on drilling.