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COLLEAGUES IN THE CONGRESS TO
SUPPORT THIS VERY IMPORTANT
BILL TO HELP THEM CARRY OUT
THAT IMPORTANT MISSION AND I DO
-- I YIELD BACK AT THIS TIME
THE BALANCE OF MY TIME.
THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK.
ALL TIME FOR GENERAL DEBATE HAS
EXPIRED.
UNDER THE RULE, THE COMMITTEE
RISES.
THE COMMITTEE OF THE
WHOLE HOUSE ON THE STATE OF THE
UNION HAVING HAD UNDER
CONSIDERATION H.R. 4310 DIRECTS
ME TO REPORT THAT IT HAS COME TO
NO RESOLUTION THEREON.
THE
CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE
WHOLE HOUSE ON THE STATE OF THE
UNION REPORTS THAT THE COMMITTEE
HAS HAD UNDER CONSIDERATION H.R.
4310 AND HAS COME TO NOS REMAIN
TITLE OF THE RESOLUTION THEREON.
-- HAS COME TO NO RESOLUTION
THEREON.
THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN
REQUESTS FOR ONE-MINUTE
SPEECHES.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM PENNSYLVANIA SEEK
RECOGNITION?
MR. SPEAKER, REQUEST
UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO ADDRESS THE
HOUSE FOR ONE MINUTE, REVISE AND
EXTEND.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED.
MR. SPEAKER,
PRESIDENT OBAMA HAS OFTEN
CLAIMED THAT WE HAVE 2% OF THE
WORLD'S PROVEN OIL RESERVES
WHICH IS NOTHING BUT AN EXCUSE
FOR INACTION WHEN DEVELOPING
AMERICAN-MADE ENERGY.
AS "THE WASHINGTON POST" FACT
CHECKER NOTED, THE PRESIDENT'S
CLAIM, QUOTE, IS TRUE BUT FALSE.
FALSE BECAUSE PROVEN OIL
RESERVES IS ONLY ONE CATEGORY OF
OIL.
A FRACTION OF THE OVERALL OIL IN
THE GROUND.
PROVEN RESERVES REFERS TO
AMOUNTS OF OIL WHERE SEISMIC
STUDIES HAVE IDENTIFIED
AVAILABLE RESOURCES.
DUE TO THE LONG PRESIDENTIAL
CANNED CONGRESSIONAL BANS ON
OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF
DEVELOPMENT, THE INVENTORY OF
RESOURCES HAVE NOT BEEN TRACKED
IN OVER 30 YEARS.
THE U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY AND
THE BUREAU OF OCEAN ENERGY
MANAGEMENT ESTIMATES THE U.S.
HAS A 16% SHARE OF THE WORLD'S
UNDISCOVERED TECHNICALLY
RECOVERABLE CONVENTIONAL OIL
RESOURCES.
THE MIDDLE EAST ALSO HAS A 16%
SHARE.
RATHER THAN SAYING WHAT WE CAN'T
DO THE PRESIDENT SHOULD BE DOING
MORE TO FACILITATE THE SAFE
U.S. RESOURCES.
MR. SPEAKER, THE PRESIDENT SAYS
HE SUPPORTS, QUOTE, AN
ALL-OF-THE-ABOVE STRATEGY FOR
THE 21ST CENTURY THAT DEVELOPS
EVERY SOURCE OF AMERICAN-MADE
ENERGY.
WILLING TO PROVE IT.
I YIELD BACK.
THANK YOU.
THE
GENTLEMAN'S TIME HAS EXPIRED.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLELADY FROM CALIFORNIA RISE?
MR. SPEAKER, I RISE TO ENGAGE
THE
GENTLELADY WILL SUSPEND.
ARE THERE FURTHER REQUESTS FOR
ONE-MINUTE SPEECHES?
UNDER THE SPEAKER'S ANNOUNCED
POLICY OF JANUARY 5, 2011, THE
GENTLELADY FROM CALIFORNIA, MS.
SPEIER, IS NOW RECOGNIZED FOR 60
MINUTES AS THE DESIGNEE OF THE
MINORITY LEADER.
RECOGNIZED.
MR. SPEAKER, THANK
YOU.
-- THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BE JOINED DURING
THIS HOUR BUT -- BY MY GOOD
FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE FROM
CALIFORNIA, CONGRESSMAN JOHN
GARAMENDI.
I WOULD LIKE TO JUST BEGIN THIS
DISCUSSION ON OIL PRICES BY
RECALLING THAT IN 2008 THE
REFRAIN THAT WAS HEARD IN THIS
WAS DRILL, BABY, DRILL --
DRILL, BABY, DRILL.
IT WAS A CONSTANT REFRAIN BY MY
COLLEAGUES ON THE OTHER SIDE.
THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THAT'S
PRECISELY WHAT WE'VE DONE.
IN FACT, IN THE "U.S.A. TODAY",
CITIGROUP ANALYSTS ARE QUOTED IN
SAYING IN A LEENT REPORT, QUOTE,
-- RECENT REPORT, QUOTE, ENERGY
INDEPENDENCE IS NO PIPE DREAM.
THE U.S. IS ALREADY THE WORLD'S
FASTEST GROWING OIL AND NATURAL
GAS PRODUCER.
TOUFING THE OUTPUT FROM CANADA
AND MEXICO, NORTH AMERICA IS THE
NEW MIDDLE EAST.
SO, IT'S INTERESTING NOTE THAT
AS MUCH AS WE'VE BEEN RINGING
OUR HANDS, THERE IS OIL BEING
STATES.
IN FACT, A LOT OF OIL IS BEING
PRODUCED IN THE UNITED STATES.
AND WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER A FEW
CHARTS NOW TO SHOW HOW IN FACT
THINGS ARE LOOKING A LITTLE BIT
BETTER.
BUT FIRST, THIS FIRST CHART
REALLY SHOWS WHAT HAPPENED WITH
OIL PRODUCTION.
WHEN GEORGE BUSH WAS STILL THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
THE PRICE OF GAS HIT $4.10 A
GALLON.
IT WAS VERY HIGH.
AND THEN GAS PRICES HIT ROCK
BOTTOM WHEN PRESIDENT OBAMA TOOK
OFFICE BECAUSE OF THE GLOBAL
FINANCIAL CRISIS THAT HIT.
WHEN PRESIDENT OBAMA TOOK OFFICE
THERE WERE FEWER THAN 400 OIL
RIGS OPERATING IN THE UNITED
STATES.
BELOW 200 RIGS BY --
FALLING BELOW 200 RIGS BY 2009.
THEN DESPITE SAFETY REVIEWS, OIL
RIGS OPERATING IN THE UNITED
STATES QUADRUPLED OVER THE NEXT
THREE YEARS.
THERE ARE NOW MORE THAN 1,300, I
REPEAT THAT, 1,300 OIL RIGS
OPERATING IN THE UNITED STATES.
MORE THAN ALL OPERATIONAL OIL
DRILLING IN THE REST OF THE
WORLD COMBINED.
SO, IN THE LAST THREE YEARS OF
THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION,
REDUCING 1.78 BILLION BARRELS OF
OIL BUT IN THE FIRST THREE YEARS
WE'VE ALREADY PRODUCED MORE THAN
TWO BILLION BARRELS OF OIL.
THE U.S. OIL PRODUCTION HAS
CONTINUED TO INCREASE UNDER
PRESIDENT OBAMA AND IS NOW AT AN
EIGHT-YEAR HIGH.
SO, THE CAMBRIDGE ENERGY
RESEARCH ASSOCIATE'S MANAGING
DIRECTOR SAID IN SENATE
TESTIMONY IN FEBRUARY OF THIS
YEAR, AND I QUOTE, A GREAT
REVIVAL IN U.S. OIL PRODUCTION
IS TAKING SHAPE.
SO, FOR ALL THE HAND RINGING,
FOR ALL MY COLLEAGUES ON THE
OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE TALKING
ABOUT WHAT ISN'T BEING DONE, THE
TRUTH IS, A LOT IS BEING DONE.
WE NOW HAVE MORE OIL RIGS
OPERATING IN THE UNITED STATES,
SOME 1,300, THAN ALL THE OTHER
PLACES IN THE WORLD COMBINED.
B.P. PROJECTED THAT THE U.S.
WILL GET 94% OF ITS ENERGY
DOMESTICALLY BY THE YEAR 20130.
THAT'S GOING TO BE A -- 2030.
THAT'S GOING TO BE HUGE BENEFIT
ECONOMISTS AT SEGROUP ARGUE THAT
NORTH AMERICA CAN BE --
CITIGROUP ARGUE THAT NORTH
AMERICA CAN BE
ENERGY-INDEPENDENT BY 2020.
THAT'S ONLY EIGHT YEARS AWAY.
WE CAN BE ENERGY-INDEPENDENT BY
2020.
CITIGROUP SAYS, IF THAT HAPPENS
WE WILL CREATE 3.6 MILLION NEW
SEE THE UNEMPLOYMENT
RATE CUT BY 2%.
AND AN INTERESTING EXAMPLE IS
THAT OF NORTH DAKOTA.
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS IN NORTH
DAKOTA TODAY?
IT'S 3%.
IN CALIFORNIA IT'S 11%.
IN NORTH DAKOTA IT'S 3%.
AND NORTH DAKOTA CAN NOW BOAST
HAVING THE LOWEST UNEMPLOYMENT
RATE IN THE COUNTRY AND IT IS
NOW THE FOURTH LARGEST OIL
PROVIDER IN THE COUNTRY AS WELL
WELL.
SO WE CREATE NEW JOBS, WE
REIGNITE MANUFACTURING AND CHEM
CAG BUSINESSES AND GUESS WHAT?
-- AND CHEMICAL BUSINESSES AND
GUESS WHAT?
AMERICAN FAMILIES SEE A LOT OF
SAVINGS, TOO.
IN FACT THE PRICE OF NATURAL GAS
HAS DROPPED SUBSTANTIALLY.
AND IF WE KEEP GOING THE WAY
WE'RE GOING IT WILL DROP SOME
80%, GIVING THE AMERICAN FAMILY
YEAR SAVINGS.
-- $226--- $926-A-YEAR SAVINGS.
ALL OF THEIR UTILITY CUSTOMERS
SAW A DECREASE IN THEIR
ELECTRICAL COSTS, IN THEIR
UTILITY BILLS, OF SOME 6%.
SO, THERE IS SOME GOOD NEWS IN
ALL OF THAT.
THE SECOND CHART -- AND THEN
I'LL HAVE MY GOOD FRIEND, MR.
GARAMENDI, JOIN IN.
THE SECOND CHART LOOKS AT U.S.
OIL PRODUCTION VERSUS GAS
VOLATILITY.
WORLD MARKET FACTORS ARE REALLY
DRIVING UP OIL PRICES.
IF YOU LOOK AT THIS PARTICULAR
CHART YOU SEE THAT THE OIL
SAME.
GOES UP A LITTLE BIT IN 2010 AS
YOU CAN SEE.
BUT FOR THE MOST PART IT STAYS
PRETTY CONSISTENT.
BUT WHAT DOES CHANGE AND CHANGE
DRAMATICALLY, UP AND DOWN AS IF
YOU'RE READING AN E.K.G., IS THE
PRICE OF GAS IN THIS COUNTRY.
ARE GOING UP AND
DOWN, IRRESPECTIVE OF THE
PRODUCTION OF OIL.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS CONDUCTED
AN INVESTIGATION IN THE PAST 36
YEARS OF U.S. OIL PRODUCTION AND
GAS PRICES AND FOUND THAT THERE
IS NO, NO STATISTICAL
CORRELATION BETWEEN HOW MUCH OIL
COMES OUT OF THE U.S. WELLS AND
THE PRICE AT THE PUMP.
MORE U.S. DRILLING HAS NOT
CHANGED HOW DEEPLY THE GAS PUMP
DRILLS INTO YOUR WALLET.
AND WE KNOW THAT.
THE PRICE OF OIL IS DETERMINED
ON A GLOBAL MARKET.
MORE OIL PRODUCTION IN THE
UNITED STATES DOES NOT MEAN
CONSISTENTLY LOWER PRICES AT THE
PUMP.
HOWEVER IF WE BECOME LESS
DEPENDENT ON FOREIGN OIL, WE
WILL SEE SOME DRAMATIC SHIFTS
TAKE PLACE IN THIS COUNTRY.
SO, WHY DOES MORE DRILLING HAVE
SO LITTLE EFFECT ON GAS PRICES?
THE ANSWER IS BECAUSE OIL IS A
GLOBAL COMMODITY.
THE UNITED STATES OWNS LESS THAN
2% OF THE GLOBAL RESERVES AND
WORLD MARKET PRICE
THAT EVERYONE ELSE DOES.
SO, WITH THAT LET ME INTRODUCE
MY GOOD FRIEND, CONGRESSMAN JOHN
GARAMENDI, FROM THE GREAT AREA
OF SACRAMENTO AND THE VALLEY.
THANK YOU VERY
MUCH, CONGRESSWOMAN SPEIER, AND
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS
VERY, VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE TO
THE ATTENTION OF THE AMERICAN
PUBLIC THIS EVENING AS WE SPEND
THIS HOUR TALKING ABOUT GAS
PRICES IN THE UNITED STATES.
I WAS REALLY STRUCK BY THE
CHARTS THAT YOU PUT UP AS TO,
WOW, THEY TELL US THAT THE STORE
-- BUT THE STORY IS WE DON'T --
THEY TELL US THAT WE DON'T PUMP
OIL IN AMERICA.
NOT SO.
WE DO, WE REALLY DO.
AND THEY TELL US THAT WE'RE
GOING THE WRONG DIRECTION.
BUT IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE
CHARTS WE'RE ACTUALLY PRODUCING
MORE AND MORE ENERGY.
TODAY IN THE RESOURCES COMMITTEE
WHICH I HAVE THE HONOR OF
SITTING WE HAD A DEBATE ABOUT
THIS AND OUR REPUBLICAN
COLLEAGUES WERE SAYING THAT
WE'RE NOT PRODUCING AS MUCH AND
ENERGY INSTITUTE'S
WRONG.
THAT'S AN INDEPENDENT AGENCY AND
THEY COLLECT THE STATISTICS AND
IN FACT THEY'RE RIGHT AND YOUR
CHART'S CLEARLY POINTED --
CHARTS CLEARLY POINTED OUT THAT
WE ARE IN FACT MAKING IT IN
THIS IS MY FAVORITE CHART.
MANUFACTURING IN AMERICA AND
MAKE IT IN AMERICA.
IT'S NOT OFTEN THAT WE TAKE THIS
SUBJECT OF MAKING OUR ENERGY IN
AMERICA, BUILDING AN AMERICAN
ENERGY MACHINE, ONE THAT WILL
SUPPLY THE ENERGY THAT OUR
NATION NEEDS TO MEET A GROWING
SOCIETY.
SO VERY, VERY MUCH WHAT WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT HERE IS MAKING IT
AMERICA.
THERE'S SO MANY -- MAKING IT IN
AMERICA.
THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT PIECES
TO THIS.
I'M GOING TO BRING UP TWO OF
THOSE AND THEN WE'LL CARRY ON
OUR DIALOGUE HERE.
FIRST OF ALL, CONSERVATION.
I THINK YOU WERE GOING TO TALK
ABOUT THIS A LITTLE LATER, ABOUT
AUTOMOBILE CONSERVATION, THE
GASOLINE IN AUTOMOBILES, VERY,
VERY IMPORTANT.
BUT THERE'S SO MUCH OTHER
THAT WE MUST BE
DOING IN HOUSING, IN COMMERCIAL
BUILDINGS, IN THIS BUILDING.
THIS BUILDING'S OVER 150 YEARS
OLD.
WE'VE GOT SERIOUS CONSERVATION
OR LACK OF ENERGY CONSERVATIONS
HERE WITHIN THE NATION'S
CAPITOL.
BUT IF WE CARRY ON A MAJOR
EFFORT ON CONSERVATION, WE WILL
REDUCE OUR EXPENSES.
AND SIMULTANEOUSLY MAKE THE
AVAILABLE ENERGY -- THE ENERGY
THAT IS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE MUCH
MORE WIDELY AVAILABLE AND AT A
LOWER COST BECAUSE OF THE MARKET
FORCES.
SO CONSERVATION IS ABSOLUTELY
CRITICAL.
NOT ONLY IN OIL AND GAS, BUT IN
ALL OF THE OTHER ENERGY THAT WE
CONSUME IN THIS NATION.
NOW, ONE OF THE THINGS, THE
SECOND THING AND THEN I'LL
CIRCLE BACK AROUND ON THEM
QUICKLY, IS WHAT I CALL
SUBSTITUTION.
WE CAN SUBSTITUTE ENERGY FORMS
FOR OIL.
AND IN DOING SO INCREASE OUR
DOMESTIC AVAILABILITY FOR OIL
DIESEL AND GASOLINE,
AND IN THE SUBSTITUTION WE ALSO
REDUCE OUR IMPORTATION OF OIL.
SO SUBSTITUTION'S REALLY
IMPORTANT.
SO WHAT IS SUBSTITUTION?
SUBSTITUTION IS GOING ELECTRIC.
WE CAN GO TO ELECTRIC CARS, WE
GO TO HYBRIDS WHICH ARE A
COMBINATION OF ELECTRIC AND
GASOLINE.
THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT WAYS IN
THE TRANSPORTATION SECTOR, BUT
OIL IS ALSO USED IN THE
PRODUCTION OF ELECTRICITY.
NOW, NATURAL GAS IS THE BIG
THING TODAY AND IT IS A
WONDERFUL SUBSTITUTION FOR COAL.
AND WE'LL COME BACK TO THAT.
AND BIOFUELS.
THE POINT I WANT TO DO HERE
LEADS ME TO THIS LITTLE CHART
THAT I'VE USED BEFORE AND IT
TALKS ABOUT WHERE YOUR TAX
MONEY'S GOING.
WHERE IS YOUR TAX MONEY GOING?
WELL, I'LL TELL YOU THAT ABOUT
$5 BILLION OF YOUR TAX MONEY
EVERY YEAR GOES TO THE OIL
INDUSTRY.
THE OIL INDUSTRY TO
PROVIDE A SUBSIDY THAT'S NOW
CENTURY.
AND IN DOING SO WORKED, HEY,
THAT SUBSIDY WORKED.
IT CREATED ONE OF THE WEALTHIEST
INDUSTRY -- NOT ONE OF, THE
WEALTHIEST INDUSTRY IN THE
ENTIRE WORLD.
THAT'S THE OIL INDUSTRY.
AND AGAIN I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO
PICK THIS UP AND CARRY IT A
LITTLE BIT FURTHER, BUT JUST
HERE, OUR SUBSIDIES, OUR TAX
DOLLARS HANDED OVER TO THE BIG
FIVE WHO EARN BILLIONS AND
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF PROFIT
EVERY QUARTER.
WHY DO WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT
WHEN WE REALLY STARVE THE
SUBSTITUTIONS?
YOU LOOK AT HERE, THIS IS THE
BIOFUEL AREA, THIS IS THE GREEN
TECHNOLOGIES, WIND, SOLAR
ENERGY, BIOFUELS, THIS IS
ETHANOL DOWN HERE, YOU JUST
COMPARE THIS.
THE SUBSIDIES, SOME $70 BILLION
A YEAR GOING TO COAL AND OIL.
THAT'S WELL BEYOND THE BIG FIVE.
AND OVER HERE ON THIS SIDE WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT SOME $12 BILLION
YEAR.
SO WHAT'S HAPPENED IS THAT YOUR
TAX MONEY CONTINUED TO --
CONTINUES TO SUBSIDIZE OIL AND
COAL AND JUST A LITTLE TEENY,
TINY BIT ON THE SUBSTITUTIONS,
WHERE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR REAL
ENERGY INDEPENDENCE WILL EXIST.
SO WE SHOULD KEEP THIS IN MIND
AS WE LOOK AT HOW WE USE YOUR
TAX DOLLARS.
NOW, THERE'S A HUGE FIGHT GOING
ON HERE IN THE CONGRESS,
APPROPRIATELY SO, ABOUT CHANGING
THIS SUBSTITUTION, THAT WE OUGHT
TO STOP SUBSIDIZING THE OIL
INDUSTRY, PUT SOME OF THAT MONEY
OVER HERE INTO THE SUBSTITUTES,
THAT IS THE GREEN TECHNOLOGIES,
AND INTO PAYING OFF OR DEFICIT
OR TAKING CARE OF OUR SENIORS OR
OUR SICK.
MUCH, MUCH MORE TO BE DONE ON.
THAT I'D LOVE TO SEE YOUR CHART
IT'SED A THEN WE'LL GET INTO
THIS THING IN SOME HOPEFULLY
ELEGANT WAY.
THE NEXT CHART WE
PUT UP IS ONE YOU'LL FIND
PARTICULARLY INTERESTING.
THIS IS THE BIG FIVE OIL
COMPANIES AND HOW MUCH MONEY
THEY MADE JUST IN 2011.
AS YOU CAN SEE, $137 BILLION
LAST YEAR.
A 75% INCREASE IN THE PROFITS
OVER THE YEAR BEFORE.
AS YOU CAN SEE, EACH OF THEM,
EXXONMOBIL A 31% INCREASE,
SHELL, 54%, B.P., 114%
INCREASE, CHEVRON 42%, CONOCO
PHILLIPS 9%.
THESE COMPANIES ARE DOING
EXTRAORDINARILY WELL AND YET
WE'RE STILL GIVING THEM $4
BILLION IN SUBSIDIES, $5
BILLION IN SUBSIDIES A YEAR.
I GUESS THE QUESTION I HAVE FOR
YOU, CONGRESSMAN, IS ONE OF THE
THINGS WE'RE TOLD IS, BY THE
INDUSTRY OFTEN ENOUGH IS THAT
IF YOU TAKE AWAY OUR SUBSIDIES,
THE COST OF GAS AT THE PUMP IS
GOING TO GO UP.
WHAT IS THE ANSWER TO THAT
QUESTION?
YOU HAVE ANOTHER
CHART THAT SHOWED THE OIL THAT
IS PUMPED AND THE PRICE OF GAS
LINE.
IF YOU -- OF GASOLINE.
IF YOU PUT THAT ONE BACK UP, OR
MAYBE I'LL JUST COME OVER HERE.
CONGRESSWOMAN SPEER, YOU USED
THIS BEFORE AND ASKED ME IF WE
TAKE AWAY THE SUBSIDIES, WILL
IT INCREASE THE COST OF
THE ANSWER IS CATEGORICALLY NO.
FIRST OF ALL, IT IS AN
INTERNATIONAL MARKET THAT SETS
THE PRICE OF GASOLINE.
I SHOULD ADD ONE LITTLE CAVEAT
TO THAT.
INTERNATIONAL MARKET AND
SPECULATION.
I'M GOING TO COME TO
SPECULATION IN A LITTLE BIT.
24E INTERNATIONAL MARKET SETS
THE PRICE OF GASOLINE THAT
THESE FIVE BIG COMPANIES BUY
AND THE SAL OF THE GASOLINE --
THE OIL THEY EXTRACT SYSTEM OF
THE OIL, BARREL OF OIL, SET
INTERNATIONALLY.
NOW IF IT'S SET INTERNATIONALLY
AND IT REMAINS, YOU TAKE OUT
THE SPECULATION, IT REMAINS
FAIRLY CONSTANT, HERE'S THE
PRODUCTION.
IT'S GONE UP BUT IT'S BEEN
TIME.
SO IT'S NOT THE SUBSIDY, THE
SUBSIDY IS TO ENCOURAGE THE
PRODUCTION OF OIL.
WELL, THEY'VE HAD THE SUBSIDY
AND SO THE PRODUCTION HAS BEEN
ROCKING ALONG HERE.
THE PRICE OF OIL IS SET
INTERNATIONALLY.
WHAT EXPLAINS THIS ENORMOUS
VARIATION IN THE PRICE OF FUEL
AT THE PUMP?
WELL IT'S NOT PRODUCTION.
THAT'S FROM HERE.
IS IT THE SUBSIDIES?
THE SUBSIDIES ARE VERY, VERY
SMALL.
YOU'RE LOOKING AT THAT, $137
BILLION TOTAL PROFIT, THE
SUBSIDY IS $5 BILLION.
SO IT'S INCONCEIVABLE THAT THE
SUBSIDY HAS MUCH TO DO WITH THE
BOTTOM LINE OTHER THAN ADDING
$5 BILLION, WHICH I GUESS, IF
THE SUBSIDY OUT IT
WOULD BE $132 BILLION, OH, MY,
LET'S WINE ABOUT THAT -- LET'S
WHINE ABOUT THAT.
I DON'T THINK SO.
SO THE SUBSIDY DOESN'T HAVE
MUCH TO DO WITH THE PRICE OF
GAS LEAN.
THE PRICE OF GASOLINE, HOWEVER,
IS SET BY THOSE COMPANIES.
THAT LEADS DIRECTLY TO THAT
BOTTOM LINE, $137 BILLION.
THEY CHOOSE TO SET THAT PRICE.
NOW WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO
ABOUT IT?
TAKE THE SUBSIDIES BACK AND
BEGIN TO MOVE AWAY FROM
DEPENDENCE ON OIL.
WHETHER THAT'S IMPORTED OIL OR
OIL PUMPED OUT OF THE GROUND
HERE IN THE UNITED STATES.
MOVE TO THESE ALTERNATIVES.
MOVE TO THE ALTERNATIVES OF
ELECTRICITY, NATURAL GAS, THE
ALL OF THOSE WILL FURTHER
REDUCE THE DEMAND FOR OIL,
WHICH WILL BRING DOWN THE COST
OF A BARREL OF OIL WITHIN THIS
COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD
AND IN SO DOING, ALLOW US TO
HAVE A LOWER GASOLINE PRICE AND
TO DO THAT, CAPTURE THE
SUBSIDIES, IT'S NOT GOING TO
INCREASE THE COST OF A GALLON
OF GAS AT ALL.
WE KNOW WE'RE PUTCH
MANAGER OIL OUT OF THE GROUND
HERE IN THIS COUNTRY THAN EVER
BEFORE IN OUR HISTORY, MORE
THAN IS BEING PUMPED ANYWHERE
EL IN THE WORLD.
1,300 OIL RIG SMS WE KNOW WE'RE
GIVING THE INDUSTRY A HUGE
SUBSIDY, AND THEY'RE MAKING
LOTS OF MONEY, RIGHT?
WHAT IS GOING ON?
IS THERE IN FACT SPECULATION?
IS THAT DRIVING THE COST OF GAS
UP?
BART CHILTON, THE COMMODITIES
FUTURE TRADING COMMISSIONER,
SAID THAT CONSUMERS ARE PAYING
A WALL STREET PREMIUM EVERY
WITH GAS.
IN FACT, HE SAYS, EVERY TIME
YOU FILL UP YOUR HONDA CIVIC,
WALL
YOU'RE PAYING THAT BECAUSE OF
THE SPECULATION THAT'S GOING ON
IN THE MARKET.
IF YOUR CAR IS A FORD EXPLORER,
YOU'RE ACTUALLY PAYING AN EXTRA
OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR THAT
TURNS INTO REAL PUN.
$700 MORE PERRIER THAT WE'RE
PAYING BECAUSE WALL STREET
SPECULATION IS DRIVING THIS
PRICE.
NOW WE'VE ASKED THE JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT ON THREE DIFFERENT
OCCASIONS, THE PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES HAS ASKED THE
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT TO LOOK INTO
AND INVESTIGATE THE
SPECULATORS.
WE'RE WAITING.
WE'RE WAITING FOR THAT
PARTICULAR REVIEW TO TAKE
PLACE.
BECAUSE WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT
IF WE CAN GET GAS DOWN TO WHAT,
GET OIL DOWN TO $70 A BARREL,
WE'RE GOING TO BRING GAS DOWN
TO $3 A GALLON.
BENEFIT TO
THE CONSUMERS IN THIS COUNTRY.
THE SPECULATION
ISSUE, THIS MORNING WE HAD A
FELLOW FROM THE CONNECTICUT
PETROLEUM RETAILERS ASSOCIATION
COME IN AND TALK TO US ABOUT
SPECULATION.
I DIDN'T -- YOU AND I DIDN'T
HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO PUT THIS
TOGETHER, WE WERE TAKEN BY THE
INFORMATION HE PROVIDED.
IT'S NOT NEW INFORMATION BUT IT
IS VERY INTERESTINGINGLY PUT ON
THE ISSUE OF SPECULATION.
FORGIVE ME, GENERAL PUBLIC,
FORGIVE ME, MS. SPEER, BUT I
JUST DECIDE TO PUT THIS
TOGETHER ON THE BACK OF THIS
MAKE IT IN AMERICA CHART
BECAUSE AMERICA WAS TAKEN TO
THE CLEANERS IN 2008.
THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED IN THE
PRICE OF A BARREL OF OIL IN
NOW, KEEP IN MIND NEW YORK
2008, THERE WAS -- THE WARS
WERE GOING ON, BUT THERE WAS NO
REAL CHANGE IN THE WARS.
IN MARCH OF 2008, A BARREL OF
A BARREL.
IN THE UNITED STATES.
AND I GUESS WORLDWIDE ALSO.
SO MARCH OF 2008, IT WAS $70 A
BARREL.
NOTHING HAPPENED.
NO BIG CHANGE.
NO -- THE STRAITS OF HORMUZ
WERE NOT SHUT DOWN.
VENEZUELA AND IRAQ AND -- NOT
IRAQ BUT NIGERIA AND OTHER
COUNTRIES CONTINUED TO PUMP OIL
AS THEY HAD BEFORE.
BUT BETWEEN MARCH OF 2008 AND
MONTHS?
FIVE MONTHS?
THE PRICE WEPT FROM $70 A
BARREL TO $147 AND GAS LEAP WAS
VERY CLOSE TO $5 A DEMRON.
SO OIL WENT FROM $70 TO $147,
DOUBLED IN PRICE IN JUST A
PERIOD OF TIME FROM MARCH,
APRIL, MAY, JUNE, UNTIL JULY OF
2008.
THEN THE SPECULATORS BROKE AND
PRICE PLUMMETED BETWEEN
YULL AND NOVEMBER TO 32 DOLLARS
A BARREL THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO
WITH THE PRODUCTION OF OIL
AROUND THE WORLD.
IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MAJOR
INTERNATIONAL CRISES OF ANY
WAY.
OBVIOUSLY WE HAD A PROBLEM IN
THE UNITED STATES WITH OUR
ECONOMY.
BUT THE CONSUMPTION OF GASOLINE
REMAINED ABOUT THE SAME BUT THE
PRICE OF A BARREL OF OIL
DOUBLED AND THEN IN THE SAME
YEAR, JULY TO NOVEMBER,
PLUMMETED TO $32 A BARREL.
IF THERE WAS EVER, EVER A
SITUATION THAT SAYS SOMEBODY
SPECULATING IN THIS MARKET,
IT'S THIS.
EXTRAORDINARY CHANGE THAT
OCCURRED OVER A PEER OF TIME
FROM MARCH TO JULY TO NOVEMBER.
AND THERE'S NO SUPPLY AND
DEMAND, NO INTERNATIONAL CRISIS
THAT COULD EVEN BEGIN TO
EXPLAIN THIS EXTRAORDINARY
SHIFT IN PRICES.
IT IS, I THINK, BEYOND A DOUBT
THIS, THIS WAS THE
GREAT GASOLINE CRISIS OF 2008,
WAS CAUSED BY SPECULATION.
WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT
HERE'S AN ISSUE BEFORE THE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
EVERY DAY, SOMEWHERE MT.
BUILDINGS HERE IN WASHINGTON,
THERE ARE A GROUP OF
REPUBLICANS THAT ARE DOING
THEIR LEVEL BEST TO ELIMINATE
THE ONE LAW THAT WE'VE BEEN
ABLE TO PUT IN PLACE TO CONTROL
SPECULATION.
THIS IS THE DODD-FRANK
LEGISLATION.
THE DODD-FRANK LEGISLATION HAS
VERY POWERFUL TOOLS TO CONTROL
SPECULATION.
DRAW YOUR OWN CONCLUSIONS WHY
OUR REPUBLICAN FRIENDS WOULD
TRY TO TORPEDO, TO END, TO
EVISCERATE THE DODD-FRANK
LEGISLATION SO THE SPECULATORS
CAN CONTINUE THIS KIND OF
NOW KEEP IN MIND THAT THIS IS
NOT ENDING.
IF WE GO TO 2010, 2011, THE
CURRENT PERIOD, MY GUESS IS WE
WOULD SEE SOMETHING SIMILAR TO
THIS KIND OF SPECULATION, SO
THE DODD-FRANK LEGISLATION IS
THE ONLY TOOL WE HAVE AVAILABLE
TODAY TO DO WITH SPECULATIONS
SUCH AS OCCURRED IN 2008 AND IN
TODAY.
AN INTERESTING POINT ALONG
THE SAME LINES, MAYBE FOUR OR
FIVE YEARS AGO, THE --
THE PERCENTAGE OF
SPECULATION IN THE OIL MARK WAS
30%.
THE SPECULATORS WERE INVOLVED
IN ABOUT 30%.
ABOUT 70% WERE END USERS THAT
WERE IN THE MARKET.
NUMBER HAVE JUST FLIPPED.
SO THAT THE END USERS OF GAS,
OF GASOLINE, THAT ARE BETTING
ON THE FUTURE, ARE 30% AND IT'S
THE SPECULATORS THAT ARE 70%.
THE OTHER THING THE EXPERTS
HAVE SAID THIS MORNING, I DON'T
KNOW IF YOU WERE THERE AT THE
TIME, THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT
KATRINA, WHEN KATRINA HIT, IT
OUT ALL OF THOSE OIL RIGS
IN THE GULF.
IT SHUT DOWN OIL PRODUCTION FOR
A WEIRD OF TIME.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO
THE PRICE OF OIL?
IT WENT FROM $50 A BARREL TO
MONTHS.
NOT FROM $70 TO $147 A BARREL.
SO OVER FOUR MONTHS, IT WENT UP
EVER SO SLIGHTLY BUT SIG
NONETHELESS AND THEN IT CAME
SO THIS IS RIPE FOR AN
INVESTIGATION, I BELIEVE.
IT WOULD SUGGEST THERE'S A WILL
THE OF SPECULATION IN THE
MARKET TODAY.
I WAS THERE FOR
THAT, I WAS STRUCK BY THE VERY
SAME STATISTIC.
IF YOU -- AS YOU LOOK AT WHAT
HAPPENED THERE, $10 HERE, A
DOUBLING IN PRICE, CONSIDER
WHAT IT WOULD MEEP FOR SOMEONE
WHO HAD PURCHASED BACK HERE IN
OF OIL.
THAT'S $-- AT $70 A BARREL.
AND THEY COME UP TO JULY, THAT
MILLION BARRELS OF OIL DOUBLED
THIS IS WHY SPECULATION OCCURS.
IT OCCURS BECAUSE SOMEBODY BY
PLIING THE MARKET IS ABLE TO
MAKE A VAST SUM OF MUP.
BUT THERE'S THE OTHER SIDE OF
THAT COIN, SOMEBODY LOST A VAST
SUM OF MONEY COMING DOWN HERE.
THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WAS THE
SINGLE BIGGEST LOSER IN ALL OF
THIS.
AS THAT WENT UP, THE PRICE AT
THE PUMP ALSO WENT UP.
AMERICANS PAID MORE AND MORE
FOR THE PRICE OF GASOLINE, IT
WAS ABOUT $5 A GALLON WHEN IT
CAME UP HERE.
AND IT DIDN'T GO DOWN FROM $147
TO $132.
IT DID DROP FROM NEAR $5 DOWN
TO $3 OR $350, IN THAT AREA.
THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WAS STUCK
WITH AN EXCEEDINGLY HIGH PRICE
THAT CONTINUE TO THIS DAY WHICH
LEADS TO THE EXTRAORDINARY
PROFITS YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT
A FEW MINUTES AGO.
THE OIL INDUSTRY BENEFITED FROM
THE SPECULATION THAT LEFT A
VERY HIGH PRICE FOR OIL INTO
THE FUTURE.
THIS DIDN'T LAST VERY LONG.
THIS BROUGHT IT BACK UP TO $70
AND NOW IT'S OVER $100 A
BARREL.
WE NEED TO CONSIDER ALL THESE
THINGS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN
THE OIL MARKET.
CHANGE.
6 AND THIS IS, I THINK, WHERE
YOU WANT TO GO.
YOU WANT TO TALK ABILITY
CONSERVATION AND I'LL LET YOU.
LET'S TALK ABOUT
THE SOLUTION TO PROTECT
AMERICANS FROM VOLATILE GAS
PRICES AND TO KICK OUR
DEPENDENCE ON FOREIGN OIL.
THAT BECOMES A SECRET.
BY EVERY FOCUS, IF WE KICK OUR
GENTS ON FOREIGN -- OUR
DEPENDENCE ON FOREIGN OIL WE'LL
BE SO MUCH BETTER OFF.
IN 2005, AMERICA'S DEPENDENCE
ON FOREIGN OIL PEABLINGS AT
ABOUT 65%, THEN DROPPED IN 2010
TO 49% AND THEN LAST YEAR
DROPPED TO 45%.
2010 MARKED THE FIRST TIME U.S.
DEPENDENCE ON FOREIGN OIL FELL
BELOW 50% IN 13 YEARS.
OUR DEPENDENCE ON FOREIGN OIL
IS FEW AT THE LOWEST LEVEL IN
AT THIS RATE, NRNING
INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION
PREDICTS THE U.S. WILL SLASH
ITS DEPENDENCE ON FOREIGN OIL
TO AS LOW AS 36% IN THE YEAR
70% OF CONSUMPTION IN THE UNITED
STATES, THE LION'S SHARE OF
THAT, 45% OF TOTAL CONSUMPTION
WAS IN PASSENGER VEHICLES AND
LIGHT-DUTY TRUCKS.
THAT GAS
GUZZLING THAT IS GOING ON?
THE THING WE DO IS TO LOOK AT
HOW WE CAN CHANGE HOW MANY MILES
TO THE GALLON WE GET.
AND TWO, -- AND TO THE
PRESIDENT'S CREDIT, HIS
ADMINISTRATION HAS PUT IN PLACE
THESE NEW STANDARDS, KNOWN TO
ALL OF US AS CAFE STANDARDS THAT
WILL DOUBLE THE U.S. EFFICIENCY
OF FLEET OF AUTOMOBILES
AVERAGING A FLEET-WIDE AVERAGE
OF 54.5 MILES PER GALLON BY THE
YEAR 2025.
WHAT DOES THAT DO ONCE WE GET
THERE IN 2025?
THAT MEANS WE AS CONSUMERS WILL
SAVE $1.7 TRILLION AT THE PUMP
OVER THE LIFE OF THE PROGRAM.
A FAMILY THAT PURCHASES A NEW
VEHICLE IN 2025 WILL SAVE $8,200
IN FUEL COSTS WHEN COMPARED WITH
A SIMILAR VEHICLE IN 2010.
THE PROGRAM, THE
STANDARD WILL SAVE 12 BILLION
BARRELS OF OIL AND ELIMINATE 6
BILLION METRIC TONS OF CARBON
DIOXIDE POLLUTION.
THE SOLUTIONS ARE THERE FOR US.
THE SOLUTIONS ARE WE MOVE TO
THESE CAFE STANDARDS AND ADDRESS
THE ISSUES AROUND SPECULATION
AND WE KEEP THE ROBUST DOING
THAT IS GOING ON IN THIS COUNTRY
RIGHT NOW SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO
REDUCE OUR DEPENDENCE ON FOREIGN
OIL.
I TOOK A LOOK AT
THAT BEFORE WE BEGAN THIS HOUR
AND I GO, OH, MY, DO I HAVE TO
WAIT UNTIL 2025 TO BUY THAT
NOT REALLY.
THERE ARE ELECTRIC VEHICLES THAT
ARE AVAILABLE TODAY THAT GET NOT
54 GALLONS PER MILE BUT USE
ELECTRICITY ONLY.
YOU CAN BUY THOSE, UNFORTUNATELY
FOR ME IN MY DISTRICT WHERE
RUN-AROUND THE DISTRICT
IS 600 MILES DOESN'T MAKE SENSE
YET, BUT IT'S COMING.
THE BATTERY TECHNOLOGY IS
IMPROVING FOR AUTOMOBILES AND
STORE THAT ENERGY OR TAKE DOWN
THAT ENERGY AT NIGHT.
THIS IS PART OF THE ELECTRIC
GRID AND THE CHANGES THAT ARE
OCCURRING IN THE ELECTRIC GRID
ALL ACROSS THIS NATION, GIVEN
THE LOW PRICE OF NATURAL GAS
TODAY, JUST OVER $21,000
B.T.U.'S.
WE ARE SEEING THE ELECTRIC
UTILITY INDUSTRY SHIFTING FROM
COAL TO NATURAL GAS AND AS THEY
DO THAT SHIFT, WE GET AN
ENORMOUS REDUCTION IN THE CARBON
EMISSIONS, WHICH IS GOOD FOR THE
ENVIRONMENT AND GOOD FOR THE
CLIMATE CHANGE ISSUE AND
SIMULTANEOUSLY, WE ARE THEN ABLE
TO SEE THE PATH TO AN ELECTRIC
VEHICLE OR HYBRID PLUG-IN.
ALL VERY GOOD.
BIOFOULS WILL BE PART OF THAT --
FOULS WILL BE PART OF THAT
ALSO.
THERE HAVEN'T BEEN AN INCREASE.
THE STANDARDS HAVE BEEN IN PLACE
AND PRESIDENT OBAMA CAME IN AND
SAID WE NEED TO MOVE TO
CONSERVATION AND THE RESULT IS
THE INCREDIBLE SAVINGS.
I DON'T WANT TO WAIT UNTIL 2025.
I HAVE A COUPLE OF MORE THINGS I
WILL PICK UP ALONG THE WAY.
SINCE WE ARE ON THE GASOLINE
ISSUE.
YOU AND I GO BACK TO OUR
DISTRICT EVERY WEEKEND AND A
MONTH AGO, TWO MONTHS AGO, THE
WAGE WAS THE PRICE OF GASOLINE
AND I WAS DOING TOWN HALLS AND I
KNOW YOU WERE ALSO.
I WAS DOING RESEARCH WHERE
GASOLINE IS AND WHAT IT IS BEING
USED FOR AND WHAT THE COST IS.
A STATISTIC FROM
THE ENERGY INFORMATION INSTITUTE
THAT IS ABSOLUTELY SURPRISING TO
ME.
AND THE TALK ON THE RADIO AND ON
TELEVISION AND THE TALK RADIO
AND TALK TELEVISION WAS THAT WE
HAVE THIS ENORMOUS SHORTAGE OF
GASOLINE THAT THE THREAT OF A
WAR IN IRAN WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR
DRIVING IT UP AND SOMEHOW
PROBLEMS IN NIGERIA OR VENEZUELA
OR WHEREVER WERE SOMEHOW
SHORTING THE MARKET AND THAT
GASOLINE WAS IN SHORT SUPPLY.
BUT THE INFORMATION, THE
STATISTICS WERE EXACTLY THE
OPPOSITE.
THERE WAS A GLUT OF GASOLINE IN
THE UNITED STATES.
SO MUCH SO, GET THIS -- SO MUCH
SO THAT THE OIL INDUSTRY,
CHEVRON, EXXON, B.P., ALL OF THE
REST WERE EXPORTING 28 MILLION
GALLONS OF GASOLINE A DAY.
AND AT THE SAME TIME THEY WERE
EXPORTING, THEY DRIVING THE
PRICE UP TOWARDS $5 A GALLON.
WHAT'S THIS ALL ABOUT?
YOU ARE TELLING ME WE HAVE A
SHORTAGE?
IF WE HAVE A SHORTAGE, WHY ARE
YOU EXPORTING?
FROM THE INFORMATION WE HAVE
BEEN ABLE TO OBTAIN, IT APPEARS
THAT THIS EXPORT CONTINUES TO
THIS DAY, 28 MILLION GALLONS A
DAY AT THE SAME TIME THE
INDUSTRY IS SAYING WE ARE IN
SHORT SUPPLY.
THEY ARE CREATING IT TO THE
DEFICIT AND TO THE HARM OF THE
AMERICAN TRAVELING PUBLIC, WHO
HAS TO BUY THAT GASOLINE.
NOW, ONE OTHER THING AND CHECK
ME ON THIS, I WAS TRYING TO
RECALL ALL OF THE INFORMATION
THIS MORNING, THAT IN THE LAST
QUARTER OF 2011 AND THE FIRST
QUARTER OF THIS YEAR, THE UNITED
STATES FOR THE FIRST TIME --
YEARS, WAS A
NET EXPORTER OF OIL, A NET
WE HAD ACHIEVED ENERGY
INDEPENDENCE.
WE WERE EXPORTING MORE THAN WE
WERE IMPORTING FOR THE LAST
QUARTER OF LAST YEAR AND THE
FIRST QUARTER OF THIS YEAR.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S GOING TO
CONTINUE, BUT IT FLIES RIGHT IN
THE FACE OF WHAT THE OIL
INDUSTRY WAS TELLING US AS THE
OCCURRED.
MY GUESS IS IT WAS SPECULATION.
MY GUESS IT WAS GREED ON THE
PART OF THE OIL INDUSTRY AND MY
SOLUTION IS TO END THE
SUBSIDIES, BRING THAT MONEY BACK
AND USE IT ON THE GREEN
TECHNOLOGIES AND CONSERVATION.
MY SOLUTION IS TO ENFORCE THE
DODD-FRANK LAWS AND TO MAKE
CERTAIN THAT THE SPECULATORS ARE
NOT ROBBING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
THOSE ARE TWO THINGS WE CAN DO.
SAID EARLIER, WE WILL
CONTINUE TO PRODUCE ENERGY IN
THE UNITED STATES AND WE'LL MAKE
IT IN AMERICA.
I THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I DO HAVE ANOTHER MEETING AND DO
HAVE TO RUN.
IT'S GOOD TO GET THE INFORMATION
OUT THERE AND THANK YOU FOR
BRINGING US TOGETHER TONIGHT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR
GREAT PASSION FOR MAKING IT IN
AMERICA, WHICH SHOULD BE
UNDERSCORED, BECAUSE ONE OF THE
GREAT THINGS THAT HAPPENS IN MY
DISTRICT IS A LOT OF INNOVATION.
AND TEFLA WHICH IS AN ELECTRIC
CAR COMPANY WHICH IS BEELEDING
IT RIGHT THERE IN FRMONT HAS A
SHOWIN MY DISTRICT AND A
GENTLEMAN CAME IN TO DRIVE THE
ROADSTER.
GOES VERY FAST.
HE TOOK IT FOR A
LITTLE SPIN AND SAYS I WANT TO
BUY IT.
AND SALESPERSON SAID YOU ARE THE
FIRST PERSON WHO HAS COME IN
HERE AND LITERALLY BOUGHT IT
JUST AFTER A TEST DRIVE.
AND THE GENTLEMAN, THE PURCHASER
SAID, WELL, MY NEIGHBOR ON ONE
SIDE AND MY NEIGHBOR ON THE
OTHER SIDE HAS ALREADY BOUGHT
ONE.
THE FUNNY THING ABOUT THAT STORY
IS NOT WITH KEEPING UP WITH THE
JONESES, BUT IN TERMS OF THE
GRID HAVING THREE ELECTRIC CARS
ON THE SAME BLOCK CHARGING
OVERNIGHT IS GOING TO CREATE A
LITTLE INADDITION -- INDIFFICULT
GEGS.
THAT IS THE PROBLEM WE ARE GOING
TO GET.
ME.
AND THE GRID, WE NEED TO HAVE A
SMART GRID.
AND THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT IS IN CONTENTION HERE.
THIS IS ABOUT ENERGY RESEARCH.
NOW WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND HOW
CAN WE MAKE THAT GRID SMART
ENOUGH AND ROBUST ENOUGH THAT WE
WILL BE ABLE TO CHARGE ON ANY
GIVEN BLOCK ONE, TWO, THREE,
FOUR, FIVE, SIX HOMES AT NIGHT.
TO DO THAT, WE NEED TO HAVE
RESEARCH AND UNDERSTANDING NOT
ONLY HOW TO PRODUCE THE ENERGY
THAT REDUCES THE CARBON
EMISSIONS, BUT DISTRIBUTE THAT
POWER AND WHEN IT'S GOING TO BE
NEEDED.
THAT'S CALLED THE SMART GRID.
RESEARCH.
IT REQUIRES US TO INVEST IN
RESEARCH TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE
GRID WORKS, HOW WE CAN IMPROVE
AND IMPROVE EFFICIENCY IN THE
GRID AND THE POWER BE
DISTRIBUTED WHEN IT IS NEEDED.
THAT TAKES MONEY SM THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT HAS PROVIDED THAT
RESEARCH MONEY IN THE BUDGET WE
ARE DEBATING HERE NOW -- NOT
DEBATING IT, IT PASSED, THE
CURRENT BLUEPRINT REDUCES THE
ENERGY RESEARCH IN THE UNITED
STATES.
SO IT MAY BE SOME TIME IF OUR
REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES HAVE THE
WAY ABOUT ENERGY RESEARCH BEFORE
THOSE THREE PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE
TO PLUG THOSE THREE THINGS IN AT
HOPEFULLY IT WILL BE
SOONER THAN LATER.
MUCH.
I THINK AT THIS
POINT WE HAVE COVERED ALL THE
ISSUES WE WANTED TO COVER DURING
THIS SPECIAL ORDER TONIGHT AND I
WANTED TO LEAVE MY COLLEAGUES
WITH THIS MESSAGE.
AGAIN, THIS WAS QUOTED IN "USA
TODAY," STIGROUP ANALYSTS
DECLARED, ENERGY INDEPENDENCE IN
THE UNITED STATES IS NOT A PIPE
DREAM.
THE U.S. IS ALREADY THE WORLD'S
FASTEST-GROWING OIL AND NATURAL
GAS PRODUCER, COUNTYING THE
THE NEW
WE HAVE A LOT OF NEW THINGS
HAPPENING IN THE OIL AND GAS
INDUSTRY.
AND WITH THAT, I YIELD BACK.
UNDER
THE SPEAKER'S ANNOUNCED POLICY
OF JANUARY 5, 2011, THE
GENTLEMAN FROM ILLINOIS, MR.
HULTGREN IS RECOGNIZED AS THE
DESIGNEE OF THE MAJRT LEADER.
THANK YOU MR.
SPEAKER.
MR. SPEAKER, WHILE, IT IS WITH
MIXED FEELINGS THAT I COME TO
THIS BODY TONIGHT AND MANY OF MY
COLLEAGUES WILL JOIN ME TO
REMEMBER SOMEONE WHO HAD HAD A
HUGE IMPACT, NOT ONLY ON THIS
CITY AND THIS NATION, BUT ON OUR
WORLD, A GENTLEMAN WHO HAD A
VERY PERSONAL IMPACT ON MY LIFE
APRIL 21,
2012, CHARLES WFRPBLT COLSON.
HE WAS A VERY I WILL TELL GENT
MAN, A VERY WELL SPOKEN MAN, A
PASSIONATE MAN WHO SERVED PEOPLE
AND LOOKED FOR WAYS TO HONOR
THEM, RECOGNIZING THE VALUE OF
EVERY SINGLE PERSON.
HIS LIFE DRAMATICALLY CHANGED
THROUGH A CIRCUMSTANCE THAT HE
WENT THROUGH BY GOING THROUGH TO
AND I'M GOING TO PULL OUT THE
INFORMATION HERE.
WE WERE HONORED TO HAVE A
SERVICE TODAY, MEMORIAL SERVICE
AT THE NATIONAL CATHEDRAL RAL.
HE WAS WORN ON OCTOBER 16, 1931,
IN BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS AND
GRADUATED FROM BROWN UNIVERSITY
AND SERVED IN THE MARINE CORPS
AND WENT TO LAW SCHOOL AT BROWN
AND WENT ON TO PRACTICE LAW AND
AT A VERY YOUNG AGE IN 1969
40, HE WAS
SLECTED BY PRESIDENT NIXON TO BE
SPECIAL COUNSEL TO THE PRESIDENT
AND SERVED FROM 1969 TO 1973.
DURING THAT TIME HE WAS KNOWN AS
A VERY TOUGH GUY, HE WAS KNOWN
AS RICHARD NIXON'S HATCHETS MAN
AND WAS VERY INTELL ENT AND
UNDERSTOOD POLITICS AND POLICY
AND HOW TO GET THINGS DONE, VERY
DRIVEN, FOCUSED AND TOUGH.
AND USED HIS TOUGH UPBRINGING IN
BOSTON AND SHARP INTELLECT TO BE
A HUGE IMPACT FOR PRESIDENT
NIXON.
HE WAS ALSO IN THAT TIME
INVOLVED WITH WATERGATE AND
THROUGH THAT, HE FELT THAT HE
WAS CALLED TO BE HONEST WITH HIS
INVOLVEMENT IN THERE AND PLED
GUILTY AND ENTERED TO A PLEA OF
OF JUSTICE AND WAS
SENT ENCED TO PRISON.
AND HE EXAMINED WHAT HE HAD DONE
AND WHY HE HAD DONE IT AND WHAT
LIFE WAS ALL ABOUT.
THROUGH A WRITER THAT HE HAD
READ A BOOK GIVEN TO HIM, A BOOK
BY A GREAT AUTHOR AND GREAT
THEIR, C.S. LEWIS "MERE CRIST
TANITY."
THROUGH THAT BOOK THAT CHUCK
CAME TO SEE HIS OWN FEELINGS,
HIS OWN SIN, HIS NEED FOR A
SAVIOR AND HIS NEED FOR A
CHANGE.
AND IT WAS REALLY IN THE
FRIEND'S DRIVEWAY AS THEY WERE
TALKING THAT HE HEARD HIS
FRIEND'S TESTIMONY OF WHAT JESUS
CHRIST HAD MEANT TO HIS FRIEND
AND THE FLOOD GATES OPENED UP
AND HE UNDERSTOOD THE FACT OF
HIS NEED FOR A SAVIOR, THE FACT
THAT HE NEEDED TO TURN HIS LIFE
AROUND THAT HE WAS GOING TO HAVE
TO PAY A HEAVY PRICE FOR HIS
INVOLVEMENT IN WEAR GATE AND
WATERGATE
PERIOD OF TIME.
BUT IT WAS IN THAT NIGHT IN THAT
DRIVEWAY THAT HE GAVE HIS LIFE
TO CHRIST.
FROM THAT TIME IN THE 1970'S,
UNTIL HE DIED IN 2012, HE WAS A
FAITHFUL CHRISTIAN.
HE NEVER FORGOT THAT SERVICE
THAT TIME IN PRISON WHILE HE
WAS THERE AND SEING THE
CONDITIONS THAT PRISONERS
SUFFER UNDER, THE FACT THAT WE
ARE ALL OF INCREDIBLE VALUE,
NOT BECAUSE OF WHAT WE'VE DONE,
NOT BECAUSE OF WHAT WE KNOW,
NOT BECAUSE OF HOW MUCH MONEY
WE CAN EARN, BUT BECAUSE OF HOW
WE HAVE BEEN CREATED AND THE
SACRIFICE THAT'S BEEN GIVEN FOR
EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US HE SAW
THAT AND NEVER FORGOT THAT.
SO THROUGH THIS TIME, WE'RE
GOING TO TALK ABOUT MUCH OF HIS
LIFE SINCE THAT TIME OF GOING
TO PRISON AND COMING OUT OF
PRISON AS HE CAME OUT OF
PRISON, HE HAD OPPORTUNITIES
WHERE HE COULD HAVE GONE
IMMEDIATELY BACK INTO THE
PRIVATE SECTOR AFTER BEING ONE
OF THE CHIEF PEOPLE IN THE
WHITE HOUSE, HE HAD MANY
CONNECTIONS, COULD HAVE HAD A
SEVEN-FIGURE INCOME COMING OUT
OF PRISON BUT HE DECIDED NOT TO
DO THAT.
INSTEAD, HE DECIDED TO START A
MINISTRY TO FELLOW INMATES AND
IT WAS FROM THAT START THAT
LITERALLY HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS
OF THOUSANDS OF INMATES,
MILLIONS OF INMATES AROUND THE
WORLD HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY THE
MINISTRY OF CHUCK COLSON AND
PRISON MINISTRIES AND MANY
OTHER MINISTRIES THAT HAVE COME
OUT OF THAT.
ANGEL TREE IS ANOTHER ONE I'LL
TALK ABOUT THAT SERVE THE
VICTIMS OF CRIME WE DON'T TALK
ABOUT VERY OFTEN, CHILDREN OF
INMATES.
UNINTENDED VICTIMS.
ANGEL TREE PROVIDES GIFTS TO
KIDS WHOSE PARENTS ARE IN
PRISON.
WONDERFUL MINISTRY THAT'S
PROVIDED GIFTS TO MILLIONS OF
WORLD.
I AM SO HONORED TONIGHT TO BE
ABLE TO RECOGNIZE, TO HONOR,
AND TO SHARE THIS TIME WITH
SOME GOOD FRIENDS OF MINE AND
TALK ABOUT SOMEONE WHO HAD A
HUGE IMPACT ON MY LIFE, CHUCK
COLSON.
DO YOU WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS?
I'LL HAND IT OVER TO MY GOOD
FRIEND, STEVE PEARCE IN FAW
MINUTES HERE, BUT LET ME TALK
ABOUT THE IMPACT AND MY KECK.
I HAD KNOWN ABOUT CHUCK COLSON
FOR THE PAST 25 OR 30 YEARS
THROUGH MANY OF HIS BOOKS.
HE'S WRITTEN WELL OVER 25
BOOKS, HE WAS A SPEAKER AROUND
THE WORLD, HE HAD A WEEKLY
RADIO SHOW, "BREAK POINT,"
TALKING ABILITY WHAT WAS GOING
ON IN THE WORLD BUT THROUGH ALL
HIS BOOKS, ALL HIS SPEAK, EVERY
TIME HE WAS TALK, THERE WAS A
CONNECTION, HE CARED FOR
PEOPLE, HE LOVED PEOPLE.
ONE OF MY FAVORITE STORIES I
HEAR OVER AND OVER AGAIN ABOUT
CHUCK IS THAT HE WOULD TRAVEL
AROUND THE WORLD AND TRAVEL
INTO THE WORST OF THE WORST
PRISONS, HE WOULD GO IN AND
MEET WITH PRISONERS, OFTEN
TIMES THE WARDEN WOULDN'T EVEN
GO INTO SOME OF THESE AREAS IN
MEETING WITH PRISONERS, THE
WARDENS WOULD BE AFRAID YET
CHUCK COLSON WOULD GO IN,
UNARMED, WITHOUT GUARDS, MEET
WITH THE PRISONERS, TALK WITH
THEM, TOUCH THEM, HUG THEM AND
INTERACT WITH THEM AND LET THEM
KNOW HE WAS GOING TO CONTINUE
TO BE THINKING ABOUT THEM,
PRAYING FOR THEM, THINKING
BACK.
THAT MADE A HUGE IMPACT ON MY
READING HIS BOOKS, HE TALKED
ABOUT WHAT IS OUR ROLE IN
GOVERNMENT.
HOW SHOULD WE CHOOSE THE --
VIEW THE CHALLENGES WE SEE AS
CHRISTIANS, HOW SHOULD WE BE
INVOLVED IN GOVERNMENT HE
TALKED CLEARLY ABOUT THAT,
RESPECT OF GOVERNMENT BUT ALSO
THE IMPORTANCE OF EVERYBODY
FROM ALL FAITHS TO BE INVOLVED
IN GOVERNMENT, RECOGNIZE THAT
THIS IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS
CITIZENS TO BE ENGAGED AND
INVOLVED IN THE POLITICAL
PROCESS.
I HAD LEARNED -- LEARNED MUCH
ABOUT CHUCK KOHLSON FRU THROUGH
HIS READ -- COLSON THROUGH HIS
READINGS, THROUGH HIS SPEAKING,
HE STARTED A PROGRAM CALLED
THESEN TURIN PROGRAM, IT'S A
YEAR--- CENTURION PROGRAM, IT'S
A YEAR-LONG PROGRAM OF SEMINARS
TALKING ABOUT HOW TO BE
INVOLVED IN OUR COUNTRY, TO BE
INVOLVED IN OUR GOVERNMENT, TO
MAKE AN IMPACT IN OUR
COMMUNITIES.
HE WAS INVOLVED WITH DOZENS OF
BOOKS WE READ IN A YEAR, GOING
THROUGH WHAT IMPACTS OUR
CULTURE, LOOKING AT MOVIES,
LOOKING AT MUSIC, LOOKING AT
EVERY SINGLE SECTOR.
WE WOULD COME FROM ALL OVER THE
COUNTRY, OUT TO WASHINGTON,
D.C., THREE TIMES DURING THAT
YEAR TO SPEND A LONG WEEKEND
TOGETHER WHERE CHUCK COLSON
PERSONALLY LED THOSE SEMINARS
WITH SPEAKERS FROM AROUND THE
COUNTRY COMING TO TRAIN MEN AND
WOMEN FROM ALL OVER THE NATION
TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE IN THEIR
COMMUNITIES, TO BE PASSIONATE
ABOUT USING THEIR GIFTS TO
IMPACT OTHERS FOR GOOD.
AND I WAS PRIVILEGED TO BE
SELECTED TO BE PART OF THE
CENTURION PROGRAM IN 2009 AND
WENT THROUGH THAT YEAR-LONG
PROCESS, LITTLE DID I KNOW AT
THAT TIME HONESTLY THAT I WOULD
IN CONGRESS.
THIS IS BEFORE I EVEN
FOR CONGRESS.
BUT IT WAS THROUGH THAT PROGRAM
AND MUCH THAT I LEARNED THAT I
WAS BROUGHT TO STARTING TO
THINK ABOUT THIS, TO PRAY ABOUT
IT, TO TALK TO MY WIFE, TO TALK
TO MY FAMILY, TO TALK TO MY
KIDS ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT THIS
IS AND WHAT A PIVOTAL TIME IN
OUR NATION THIS IS RIGHT NOW.
IT WAS THROUGH THE IMPACT CHUCK
KOHLSON HAD ON MY LIFE THAT I
DECIDED TO RUN FOR CONGRESS.
I WAS SO EXCITED TO HAVE CHUCK
COLSON HERE IN THE CANON CAUCUS
ROOM TO MEET WITH MEMBERS OF
CONGRESS AND MAKE THE
CONNECTION AGAIN.
I SPENT SO MUCH TIME WITH HIM
IN THAT YEAR BUT HADN'T SPENT
SPENT MUCH
TIME WITH HIM SINCE I WAS
ELECTED, HE CAME UP AND HUGGED
ME, SAYING I AM SO PRUD OF YOU.
HE SAID HE WANTED ME TO
CONTINUE TO BE FAITHFUL IN ALL,
WE TALKED ABOUT HOW WE WERE
HOPEFULLY GOING TO WORK
TOGETHER FOR MANY YEARS TO
COME.
UNFORTUNATELY, WITH HIS
UNTIMELY DEATH, IT WAS A VERY
SUDDEN DEATH WHERE HE WAS
SPEAKING BEFORE A GROUP OF
PEOPLE AND HAD A DIZZY ATTACK
AND WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD OF
TIME HAD BLOOD CLOT IN HIS
BRAIN THAT HAD AN IMPACT THERE
AND OVER WEEKS, THEY TRIED TO
DO EVERYTHING THEY COULD TO
SAVE HIM AND WEREN'T ABLE TO.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, WE WON'T BE
ABLE TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH
HIM BUT HIS LEGACY LIVES ON IN
ME AND SO MANY OTHERS,
LITERALLY, MILLIONS OF OTHERS
AROUND THE WORLD THAT HE
TOUCHED.
THAT'S WHY IT'S SUCH A
PRIVILEGE FOR US TO HONOR HIM
TONIGHT, THE DIRECT IMPACT HE
HAD ON US AND BEFORE THAT
TO GET TO KNOW HIM
MORE PERSONALLY, PART OF THE
IMPACT HE HAD WAS THE STUDIES I
WAS DOING, I WAS SOLVED IN OUR
STATE LEGISLATURE INY.
MY WIFE AND I HAD OUR FOURTH
CHILD, TRYING TO THINK OF A
GOOD NAME FOR OUR NEW SON.
WE DECIDED TO WE WOULD NAME HIM
COLSON, WE CALL HIM COLE BUT
HIS NAME IS COLSON.
SUCH A PRIVILEGE AND A REMINDER
AS I'M WITH MY NOW 8-YEAR-OLD
LITTLE BOY, COLSON OF THE
LEGACY HE HAS AND THE BIG SHOE
HE IS HAS TO FILL AND THE POWER
HIS NAME MEANS TO ME OF A MAN
WHO HAD A HUGE IMPACT ON MY
LIFE.
WE WILL TAKE THIS TIME OVER THE
NEXT MINUTES TO HONOR A MAN
THAT WE COULD SPEND DAYS
TALKING ABOUT BUT AGAIN I'M SO
PRIVILEGED TO OF -- PRIVILEGED
TO HAVE MY COLLEAGUES HERE
TONIGHT.
I TURN IT OVER TO MY FEND IN
NEW MEXICO, STEVE PEARCE.
THANK YOU FOR
BRINGING THIS ISSUE BEFORE THE
HOUSE.
IT'S RARE THAT A PERSON CAN
IMPACT YOUR LIFE IN A VERY
STRONG WAY.
IT IS ALMOST NEVER THAT A
PERSON CAN IMPACT YOUR LIFE IN
A VERY STRONG WAY ON DIFFERENT
ENDS OF THE SPECTRUM.
IN 197, I GRADUATE -- IN 1970
AGRADUATED FROM COLLEGE, I HAD
JOINED THE AIR FORCE ROTC TO
AVOID GOING TO VIETNAM IN THE
MIDDLE OF MY CLIEGE CAREER BUT
AS AN ROTC GRADUATE, I HAD THE
OBLIGATION TO GO TO PILOT
TRAINING, ATTENDED PILOT
TRAINING, WENT OVERSEAS,
ASSIGNED TO C-0130'S.
WE WERE STATIONED AT CLARK AIR
FORCE BASE IN THE PHILIPPINES
BUT MOST OF OUR MISSIONS WERE
IN VIETNAM.
FOR THE NEXT YEAR AND A HALF,
THAT'S WHERE I WAS.
ON ONE PARTICULAR MISSION,
AROUND 1971 OR 1972, I WAS A
CO-PILOT FLYING INTO CAMBODIA.
THAT TIME, WE WERE
SUPPOSEDLY NOT GOING INTO
CAMBODIA, WE WERE SUPPOSEDLY
NOT GOING INTO LAOS, BUT WE
WERE IN AND OUT SEVERAL TRIPS
THAT DAY.
THAT EVENING, WHEN I GOT BACK
TO THE P.O.Q. AND TO THE
QUARTERS THERE TO THE AIR FORCE
BASE WE WERE STATIONED AT AT
THAT TIME FOR TWO WEEKS, I WAS
INTERESTED TO SEE THAT
PRESIDENT NIXON WAS ON TV AND
THE CAMERAS ZOOMED IN VERY
CLOSE TO HIM AND HE DESCRIBED
THAT AMERICAN SOLDIERS WERE NOT
IN OR AROUND CAMBODIA.
THAT THAT MISSION WAS NOT ONE
THAT WE AS SOLDIERS WERE
FULFILLING.
NOW, HAVING JUST BEEN IN AND
OUT OF CAMBODIA THE ENTIRE DAY,
THEY STRUCK ME UNUSUAL THAT A
PRESIDENT WOULD SAY THINGS THAT
WERE COMPLETELY UNTRUE THAT I
KNEW TO BE UNCREW.
IN MY HEART, I BEGAN TO BELIEVE
THAT HE COULD HAVE SAID I THINK
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HAVE A
RIGHT TO KNOW.
HE COULD HAVE SAID IT'S SECRET.
THAT'S CLASSIFIED INFORMATION.
BUT HE CAME OUT WITH THE CAMERA
LOOKING HIM SQUARE IN THE FACE
AND SAID, WE WERE NOT THERE.
NOW MAYBE HE DID NOT KNOW, BUT
WHEN I GOT BACK TO THE U.S. AND
HAD FOUND OUT ABOUT WATERGATE,
THAT WAS BEGINNING TO UNRAVEL,
THE IDEA OF WHO TO VOTE FOR IN
THOSE 1972 ELECTIONS WAS
EVER-PRESENT ON MY MIND.
HIS OPPONENT, THERE WAS NO
CHANCE I WOULD VOTE FOR HIM.
HIS OPPONENT WAS EUGENE
MCCARTHY.
I WOULD NOT VOTE FOR HIM.
I ENDED UP FILLING MY BALLOT
OUT THAT NEITHER MAN IS
QUALIFIED OR DESERVE THIS IS
OFFICE AND DID NOT VOTE FOR
PRESIDENT THAT YEAR.
SIMPLY BECAUSE OF MY PERSONAL
THEN WATCHING THIS WHOLE
PROBLEM OF THE WATERGATE, CHUCK
COLSON, THOSE GUYS THAT WERE
INSIDE THE PLUMBERS, BEGAN TO
GIVE ME A SENSE THAT THIS WAS A
VERY BAD POINT IN MY LIFE AND
MR. COLSON WAS A PART OF THAT
GROUP THAT WAS WILLING TO
MISLEAD A NATION, WILLING TO
SAY THINGS THAT WEREN'T TRUE.
AT THE END OF THE DAY,
PRESIDENT NIXON, AS YOU KNOW,
STEPPED DOWN, GAVE UP HIS
OFFICE, BECAUSE OF MISDEEDS
TOGETHER.
NOW WITH THAT BACKGROUND THAT I
KNEW CHUCK COLSON FOR MOST OF
MY LIFE, THEN IN 2003, WHEN I
ARRIVED HERE AT THE CAPITOL,
BEING FIRST ELECTED TO THE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, I
STARTED GOING TO JUST A VERY
SMALL LECTURE SERIES AND IT WAS
HOSTED BY A GENTLEMAN NAMED
CHUCK COLSON.
IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG TO MAKE THE
WAS BRINGING IN SOME OF
THE BEST CHRISTIAN WORLD VIEW
THINKERS IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.
I WAS ABLE TO EXPERIENCE MR.
COLSON IN A FAR DIFFERENT WAY
THAN THAT REMOTE ACQUAINTANCE I
HAD MADE IN THE EARLY 1970'S.
AND THIS WAY, HE WAS ONE OF THE
MOST COMPELLING THINKERS IN THE
COUNTRY.
IT WAS HIM THAT SAID THAT HE
LIVED IN THE DARK UNTIL HE SAW
THE LIGHT.
IT WAS HIM THAT COMMITTED
HIMSELF TO A DIFFERENT VIEW OF
THE WORLD, ONE THAT SAID THAT
WE MUST HAVE REDEMPTION, WE
MUST HAVE A CEYOR THAT HAS NO
HOPE FOR US AS HUMAN BEINGS IF
WE ARE NOT TO DEAL BE THOSE
PROBLEMS EACH ONE OF US FACES
IN OUR LIVES.
AS HE BEGAN TO DEVELOP HIS
INSIGHTS AND BEGAN TO BE ONE OF
THE PREMIERE ORGANIZERS OF THE
CHRISTIAN WORLD VIEW, BRINNING
IN LITERARY PEOPLE FROM AROUND
HIM, HE ESTABLISHED HIS PILLARS
FOR GLORIFYING GOD THROUGH THE
WORKS THAT WE DO.
THOSE PILLARS ARE, NUMBER ONE,
PREPARE WELL.
NUMBER TWO, KEEP AN EYE ON THE
HORIZON RATHER THAN UP CLOSE TO
YOU.
NUMBER THREE, ENGAGE AND ENLIST
OTHERS.
NUMBER FOUR, RUN ASSESSMENTS.
NUMBER FIVE, SEEK THE ABIDING
FRUIT NOT JUST THAT THAT IS
TEMPORARY.
AND FINALLY, HAVE GUIDELINES
THAT YOU HAVE APPLIED.
IT IS IN THOSE PRINCIPLES OF
GLORIFYING GOD THAT MR. COLSON
REALLY DEVELOPED A PRESENCE
THAT AFFECTED THE WORLD AND
AFFECTED MY LIFE SIGNIFICANTLY.
HE BEGAN TO COMPEL THOSE OF US
ATTENDING THIS LECTURE SERIES
IN THIS HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES IN ONE OF THE
ROOMS BENEATH US TO COMPEL US
TO ENLIST THOSE AROUND US.
A LIGHT THAT SHINES OUT
TO OTHERS.
TO LET OUR LIVES BE DIFFERENT,
TO LET OUR LIES BE THE
EQUIVALENT, SO THAT THOSE
AROUND US WILL KNOW THAT THEY
HAVE EMBRACED A LIE.
IT WAS MR. COLSON WHO TOLD ME
THE MOST TRAUMATIC THING, HIS
PERCEPTION WAS, AND I BELIEVE
IT STILL, THE GREATEST PROBLEM
TRUTH.
. WE DON'T KNOW THE
TRUTH.
IF WE DON'T KNOW THE TRUTH, CAN
WE SEE THE FRAGMENTS OF SOCIETY
BECOMING LOOSE.
I HEAR MY OWN DAUGHTER AND
GRANDCHILDREN SAY, WHICH SIDE IS
RIGHT?
THINGS.
WHEN WE, AS A NATION, WALK AWAY
FROM THE CONCEPT OF TRUTH.
AS ELECTED OFFICIALS
FAIL TO HONOR OUR OBLIGATIONS TO
SPEAK THE TRUTH AS WE KNOW IT.
WHEN OUR COURTS DECLARE THAT
THERE IS NO TRUTH, THEN THE
NATION TRULY DOES SUFFER.
EVEN THOUGH THAT EXTRAORDINARILY
CLEAR.
AT THAT POINT, I BEGAN TO BE
COMPELLED THAT I SHOULD BE
HONEST AND TRANSPARENT IN MY OWN
FAITH, NOT THAT I WOULD GO OUT
AND BE INTERRUPTING PEOPLE,
THRUSTING MYSELF INTO THEIR
CONSCIOUSNESS BUT LOOK AND SEE
THAT THERE IS SOMETHING
DIFFERENT.
THEY WOULD SAY, MAYBE, MAYBE WE
CAN TRUST THAT VIEWPOINT.
AND SO IT IS WITH SINCERE
APPRECIATION TO TO MY FRIEND WHO
IS HONORING CHUCK COLSON WITH
THIS TIME TONIGHT THAT THE
NATION HAS LOST ONE OF THE
HAS GUIDED US
ALONG THE PATH, WHO GAVE US A
WAKE-UP CALL SAYING, WE MUST,
MUST FIND THAT SALVATION, WE
MUST FIND THAT WAY BACK WHEN
THINGS HAVE GONE WRONG.
AND HE WAS SPEAKING FROM HIS
EXPERIENCE OF GONE SO
DESPERATELY WRONG AND BEING
UPLIFTED INTO THE WHITE HOUSE IN
THIS COUNTRY AND HAVING STUMBLED
SO BADLY.
HE COULD SPEAK WITH EXPERIENCE
SAYING, WE ALL HAVE TO COME
BACK.
THERE ARE THINGS THAT EVERY
SINGLE ONE OF US SLIP INTO THAT
WE EVENTUALLY WANT TO CHANGE
COURSE.
SO THROUGH HIS EXAMPLE, THROUGH
HIS WORDS, THROUGH HIS VALUES,
THROUGH HIS IDEAS THAT I KNOW
THERE ARE MANY HERE IN THIS
CONGRESS WHO LIVED A DIFFERENT
LIFE BECAUSE OF THOSE IDEAS.
HE CAME TO NEW MEXICO A COUPLE
OF YEARS AGO.
THEY HAD A LARGE, LARGE
CONFERENCE ON THE WEEKEND AND
AGAIN, I REMEMBER THE SAME
CLARITY, SAME PROFESSIONALISM,
THE SAME LOOKING TOWARD THE
HORIZON THERE AT THAT CONFERENCE
THERE IN NEW MEXICO AS WE HEARD
IN THIS BUILDING HERE, HE WAS A
CONSTANT, HE WAS REFRESHING TO
SPEAK SO OPENLY ABOUT HIS
PROBLEMS.
HE WAS NEVER ABLE TO LET THEM
LOOSE, NEVER GET THAT STAIN OFF
OF HIM, BUT HE EMBRACED.
THAT'S WHO HE WAS AND HOW HE WAS
DIFFERENT THAT HE HAD LIVED IN
THE DARK UNTIL HE HAD SEEN THE
LIGHT.
EACH ONE OF US, IF WE WERE TO
MAKE THOSE SAME UNDERSTANDINGS
AND GIVE THOSE SAME
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, I BELIEVE WE'D
LIVE BETTER, MORE TRANSPARENT
TRUTH BEING A GREATER
PART OF THAT LIFE AND I THINK
THE NATION WOULD BE BETTER OFF
FOR US LIVING AS IT IS FOR HIM
HAVING LIVED.
WE MOURN HIS PASSING.
BUT WE ALSO GLORIFY GOD THAT HE
WAS PLACED INTO OUR MIDST, THAT
HE MIGHT TRULY SHINE THE LIGHT
OF TRUTH INTO THE DARKNESS THAT
HE FOUND AROUND HIM.
I YIELD BACK TO MY FRIEND AND
STAY AROUND TO HEAR WHAT ELSE WE
BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I THANK MY
COLLEAGUE FROM NEW MEXICO.
AND I YIELD TO MY GOOD FRIEND