House Republicans Continue Drilling Protest

Washington, D.C. (AHN) - Republican congressmen began the ninth day of their offshore drilling protest on Wednesday.

Reps. Geoff Davis (R-KY), Trent Franks (R-AZ), John Shimkus (R-IL) were some of the lawmakers present. They continued their speeches before the empty chamber calling for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to hold an emergency session and allow a vote on drilling.

"We shouldn't be dependent on dysfunctional third world countries for our oil supply," Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA) said. "Conservation is important, alternative fuels are important, but also more domestic production is important. You need all of it."

"People are always talking about a trade deficit. Well, if you take away the money we are spending on importing oil, we would be in a trade surplus," he added.

"I want legislation that will allow companies to trade dry leases that won't produce for leases that are more likely to produce oil," Rep. Steve King (R-IA) said.

Republicans have been protesting since Congress adjourned for the summer recess on Aug. 1 to demand that Pelosi hold an emergency session and allow a vote on offshore drilling. They 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.

Pelosi has called Republican arguments that expanding offshore drilling would decrease rising energy costs a "hoax." She wants oil companies to first explore the 68 million acres of land already leased to them, and for oil to be released from the nation's stockpile.

Bush has said the Strategic Oil Reserve (SRP) will only be used during emergencies. He expressed support for the GOP protest on Tuesday, telling the Coalition for Affordable American Energy, "I join House Republicans in urging the Speaker of the House to schedule a vote on offshore oil exploration as soon as possible.

The Speaker had indicated she was open to a vote on drilling for the first time on Monday. "They have this thing that says drill offshore in the protected areas...We can have a vote on that," she told CNN's Larry King.

The House GOP leadership has taken her up on her willingness to let lawmakers vote, asking her to prove her sincerity by calling lawmakers back from their summer recess and holding a special session.