WASHINGTON   –  U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (MO-08) today voted against H.R. 6899, a bill which would extend and, in some cases, make permanent barriers to energy leasing on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf on September 30, 2008.

“This bill is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.  Not only would it obstruct the leasing of many offshore lands rich in natural resources, it provides zero incentive for coastal states to participate in the exploration of oil and natural reserves more than 50 miles off their shores,” Emerson said.  “This bill would leave as much as 85 percent of the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf still off-limits to energy exploration and production.”

Emerson noted that the bill contains no revenue sharing with coastal states that would be essential to spurring exploration and production.  The legislation was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives under a closed rule, which did not allow amendments from Emerson and her colleagues who have offered legislation that would add incentives to boost offshore production of oil and natural gas.

“This legislation is partisanship at its worst.  People in Missouri are suffering from continued high prices and price shocks at the pump.  Our goods and services are more expensive because of the high cost of transportation fuels.  Our families are cutting back because Congress refuses to pass an energy bill, and now we have a bill that makes it even harder to bring American fuels to market than it would be if we did nothing,” Emerson said.  “Perhaps most importantly, this bill does not do anything to expand American refining capacity to actually get more fuels to the pump at lower prices.  This legislation is an empty gesture that doesn’t lower the price of anyone’s gasoline.”

Emerson argued that the bill omits crucial elements of a national energy policy: nuclear energy, clean coal, and concessions on environmental restrictions that block the production of oil shale in the American West.

“The bad far outweighs the good in this proposal – which ought to be about bringing 86 billion barrels of oil and over 420 trillion cubic feet of natural gas to the American market, American families and American consumers.”