Update: Wolf’s office has released the following statement on today’s vote:
“This legislation is a significant victory for Virginia. I continue to support an all-of-the-above energy strategy that utilizes wind, solar, nuclear, coal, natural gas and other domestic sources to lower gas prices, create American jobs, generate revenue to help reduce the debt and deficit and strengthen our national security by decreasing our dependence on foreign sources of energy. This legislation is one important step towards achieving these goals by allowing us to move forward on with the offshore lease sales in Virginia in a safe and responsible way.”
U.S. Rep. Jim Moran, D-Va., felt differently.
“This bill is more about scoring political points and currying favor with the oil and gas industry than reducing the price of energy,” said Moran. “The proposed lease sale would interfere with U.S. Navy operations and Virginia’s commercial fishery and tourism industries. National Security and economic growth should trump lining the pockets of big oil executives.”
It was a political free-for-all Thursday with the House voting to restart lease sales for oil and natural gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico and off the coast of Virginia as motorists across the country grapple with ever-soaring gas prices.
House Democrats tried to force a vote on legislation that would slash tax subsidies for Big Oil, but Republicans blocked the attempt — and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee went after Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Va., for going along.
“Representative Frank Wolf today chose taxpayer funded giveaways for Big Oil companies making record profits rather than doing what’s right for folks squeezed by high prices at the pump,” said Jesse Ferguson, a spokesman for the DCCC. “Frank Wolf’s priorities are clear: protecting Big Oil comes at the expense of seniors and working families.”
The vote in favor of restarting the lease sales fell along party lines among Virginia’s congressional delegation, with the state’s eight Republicans, including Wolf, voting in favor of it and its three Democrats, including Northern Virginia Reps. Gerry Connolly and Jim Moran, voting against it.
Gov. Bob McDonnell made offshore drilling a key plank of his “all of the above” energy policy for the state, and appeared at a Richmond-area gas station earlier Thursday to talk energy, including the production of oil and natural gas off of Virginia’s coast.
President Obama cleared the way for oil and natural gas exploration off of Virginia’s coast last March, but the administration reversed course following the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico last year.
