A Victory, but the Fight for American Energy Independence Continues

It seems that Democrats have come to their senses, at least for now anyway. Appropriations Chairman David Obey (D-WI) has reportedly said that the funding resolution for Fiscal Year 2009 will NOT extend the moratorium that currently prevents exploration in the Outer Continental Shelf and for Oil Shale. That moratorium is currently set to expire on October 1.

Republicans and all Americans can claim victory knowing that our tireless dedication, most notably during the August recess when the Democrats were on vacation and Republicans continued to press for opening up our energy resources, has forced the Democrats' hand. But this is by no means the end of the story.

The Democrats will wait out the election and if they take the White House, you can bet that the executive branch moratorium on offshore drilling lifted by President Bush will once again be put in place. Not to mention that there's still a chance that the Democrats' "no energy" energy bill that they forced through the House last week could find its way through the Senate and onto the President's desk.

Furthermore, simply because this moratorium will expire on October 1 does not mean that energy production will start on October 2. What it does mean is that we can now begin setting plans that will allow for American energy production and eventual energy independence. My legislation to cut the red tape on energy production can certainly fast track things, but the Democrat leadership is sitting on it. In fact, they’re sitting on most any real energy legislation.

We won a battle, but the fight for American energy independence wages on.