CITIZENS AGAINT GOVERNMENT WASTE

Before you do anything else today, I urge you in the strongest terms possible to tell your U.S. Senators and Representative to vote to increase domestic oil exploration and production to lower gas prices! 
 
President Bush on Monday lifted the executive ban on drilling for oil on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).  But Congress has its own moratoria on drilling on the OCS and in the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve (ANWR), and lawmakers must act to open up more domestic sources of energy to bring down gas prices and decrease America’s dependence on foreign oil. 

High energy prices are not only costing every American at the pump, they are increasing the cost of food, electricity, travel, and virtually every other daily expense. 

What’s more, soaring energy prices are weakening our economy, fueling inflation, and contributing to the near-record federal deficits as the government’s cost of purchasing gasoline for our military and other uses has nearly doubled.

The recent hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico proved that drilling offshore can be done in an environmentally safe way.  There were no significant oil spills from the battered rigs off the coasts of New Orleans and Houston.  In addition, the Prudhoe Bay oil field has demonstrated that a trans-Alaska pipeline can exist in harmony with nature.  As Alaska Governor Sarah Palin told Investor’s Business Daily, “Talk about coexistence:  We’ve got grizzlies roaming on the pipeline, and caribou migrations passing underneath it.”

Some in Congress are pushing for “use it or lose it” legislation that would force oil companies to drill on federal lands they are already leasing.  With the national average price of a regular gallon of gas at $4.12, energy companies would be drilling like crazy if there were enough oil to be found on their current leases.

Others have argued that it will take years for new domestic drilling to have an impact on energy prices.  But just as even the threat of turmoil in the Middle East can cause a spike in oil prices, the expectation of new oil and gas reserves coming on the market would help drive down speculation and reduce prices.

Recent polling suggests that more than 60 percent of the American public supports domestic offshore drilling for oil and natural gas.  The problem is that all the politicians see are the no-drilling extremists who lay siege to their offices and howl on the news outlets every night.  Congress must hear from the silent majority of Americans who support more domestic energy production to drive down costs and relieve our dependence on foreign oil!

I urge you to fight back against $4.00-plus-per-gallon gas and all the other higher prices you’re paying.  Tell your Senators and Representative to support any bill or amendment that encourages increased domestic energy exploration and production today!  

Sincerely,

Thomas A. Schatz
President

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The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) is the lobbying arm of Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW), the nation’s largest taxpayer watchdog organization with more than one million members and supporters nationwide.  CCAGW is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that lobbies for legislation to eliminate waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government.  For more information about CCAGW, visit www.ccagw.org.  Help CCAGW wage this battle to encourage more domestic energy development to end our dependence on foreign oil by making a contribution today!

To push Congress to allow more domestic drilling, our lawmakers need to hear from as many Americans as possible.  Please help us by forwarding this message to your friends and neighbors.

Lee ADDS: ACT NOW!! PLEASE!