July 14, 2005

            The House-Senate Energy Conference met today for opening statements, with Chairman Joe Barton (R-TX) presiding and Rep. Hall substituting for Barton during his absence.   Members and staff will meet continually during the coming weeks to iron out differences between the House and Senate bills, with the goal of sending a bipartisan energy bill to the President for his signature before the August district work period.

“As we begin this conference, I am optimistic that this is the year we will finally have a bill for the President to sign,” Hall said in his opening statement.  “We are all here in Congress to represent our constituents that sent us to DC, and right now our constituents are feeling the results of years of failing to enact a comprehensive energy bill.  A gallon of gasoline currently averages $2.34 compared to $1.92 a year ago, and natural gas is now $7.68 per million BTU’s compared to $5.60 at the same time last year.  These are real costs to our constituents -- not only directly at the pump or on their utility bill but indirectly as well.”

“There is no greater issue currently in front of us than energy.  It drives our economy, and historically affordable, abundant amounts of it have enabled our great country to become what it is today.  We are facing a crisis when we are beholden to unfriendly foreign countries to supply us with our energy needs.  We are competing on a world market for crude oil with China and India.  Manufacturing jobs are going overseas where natural gas is cheaper, and our constituents are losing jobs that will not come back,” Hall said.

Hall urged fellow conferees to keep language for drilling a portion of ANWR as well as Hall’s provision for an Ultra-deepwater and Unconventional Onshore Natural Gas Supply Research and Development program.  The Energy Information Administration indicated that the Ultra-deep program would both increase energy supplies and pay for itself in the form of increased royalties to the Treasury. 

“I believe all of us are coming to the table with the intent of producing the best possible bill for our country today and for its future generations,” Hall concluded.