News from the Oklahoma Corporation
Commission
Phone: (405)
521-4180, FAX: (405) 522-1623, www.occeweb.com
October 5, 2001
BODE
WARNS TOMMOROW MAY BE TOO LATE
Inaction on energy policy helping to fund enemies, says Chairman
(Oklahoma City) Oklahoma
Corporation Commission Chairman Denise Bode is calling on the Senate to act
immediately on the House-passed national energy bill.
“Those who say it’s not a
pressing issue are ignoring the fact that we are pumping billions of dollars a
year into the economies of those who fund acts of terrorism against the United
States,” said Bode. “In April of this year, Americans purchased 862 thousand
barrels a day of oil from Iraq, a country run by a regime that is an avowed
enemy of America, and one that is known to harbor terrorists. The State Department is warning Americans
not to travel to five of the 11 OPEC nations we depend on for much of our oil.
Why should Americans be forced to spend their dollars on a needed product from
those who are hostile to us, especially when it’s possible to replace much of
it with domestic oil? Why should we be forced to continue to fund acts of war
against us?
“The Clinton Administration
made two separate findings concluding that our reliance on foreign oil was, in
fact, a threat to the security of the United States. And yet when Senator Jim
Inhofe attempted to get action recently on this critical bill to keep America’s
energy flowing, he was criticized for his timing. This in spite of the fact
that America is going on a war footing, and even the peacetime economy has in
the past year seen price spikes caused by shortages of natural gas, gasoline,
and electricity. When is the right time?
“Military action means an
even greater demand for energy. During Desert Storm Allied forces consumed 450
thousand barrels a day; eight times what was used during World War II.
“We’ve already seen the result of this ‘live for today’ attitude
when it comes to energy,” said Bode. “It’s the main reason behind the huge jump
in natural gas prices nationwide last winter, and gasoline prices that climb
sky-high every time there is even a small mishap at just one refinery. Our
energy infrastructure in America is crumbling. It’s long past time to do
something.”
Chairman Bode warns those
who think the current drop in energy prices signals ‘light at the end of the
tunnel’ are wrong.
“That ‘light’ is an oncoming
train,” warned Bode. “The last time we
had a drastic drop in oil and gas prices, we lost thousands of domestic
producers. As a result, our natural gas supply was depleted, and prices
skyrocketed. What was an aberration could become a permanent state of affairs
if we don’t act on a policy that will provide the American consumer with some
stability.”
-occ-
All OCC news releases and advisories are available on the OCC web site: www.occeweb.com