“Right before the July Fourth recess, a bipartisan group moved legislation through the House of Representatives to open up areas for oil and gas production on our Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) beyond 100 miles. Those lands have been locked up for a quarter century. Currently more than 97.5 percent of our OCS is not being leased for energy production. Louise Slaughter opposed it.
“Refineries? Against them. Holding back supplies artificially against rising demand, and denying new refineries being built to meet (that) same demand just means higher profits for big oil companies. Sometimes we think big oil and the environmentalists are in cahoots towards the same end.
“She can’t have it both ways.”
MIXED-UP GROUP
Apart from the occasional stray, Congress is a two-party system: Republican and Democrat. Nothing confusing about that.
Last week, a delegation from the Senate of Spain paid a visit to Capitol Hill, where they were introduced by Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska.
“We thought we had it bad,” the Republican noted. “There are many parties represented here from our distinguished ally, Spain.”
Such as?
“Senator Rojo is the president. Senator Lucas is the vice president. Senator Anasagasti is the first secretary, and Senator Caneda is the third secretary. Senator Garcia-Escudero is the spokesperson for the Popular Party, Senator Lerma is the spokesperson for the Socialist Party. Senator Aleu is the spokesperson for the Progressive Catalonian Parties, and Senator Zubia is the spokesperson for the Basque Nationalists. Senator Macias is the spokesperson for the Catalonian Coalition. Senator Mendoza is the spokesperson for the Canary Islands Coalition, and Senator Cuenca is the deputy spokesperson for the Mixed Group.”
McCASLIN BOOK
Fans of this column may enjoy my new book, “Inside the Beltway: Offbeat Stories, Scoops and Shenanigans From Around the Nation’s Capital.” You can purchase it through BarnesandNoble.com.