House passes non-drilling bill.(Correction, Please!)

ITEM: On September 16, the House passed the Comprehensive American Energy Security and Consumer Protection Act (H.R. 6899). As described by CNN on the same day, the bill "could clear the way for more drilling in the United States, as the Democrats who control Congress yielded to pressure from Republicans on the issue."

CORRECTION: CNN and other major-media organs portrayed the Democrat-sponsored energy bill just as the Democratic leadership would have hoped. Due to a spike in the price of gasoline to over $4.00 per gallon, Democrats have been under tremendous pressure to back away from their long-standing position to keep huge sections of our outer continental shelf off-limits to oil and gas development. During this election season, they have sought to convince the American people that they want more domestic drilling, despite their past position and many votes to the contrary. Their sponsorship of H.R. 6899 was part of this public-relations ploy. Democrats have disingenuously misrepresented this bill as a proposal for more drilling, in order to neutralize it as a campaign issue for "Drill Baby, drill!" Republicans. In truth, the bill would essentially maintain the status quo.

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The initial paragraph of the bill text states its top priority, to prohibit leasing in areas not expressly authorized in the measure or a subsequent statute:

SEC. 101. PROHIBITION ON LEASING.

(a) Prohibition--The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.) notwithstanding, the Secretary shall not take nor authorize any action related to oil and gas preleasing or leasing of any area of the Outer Continental Shelf that was not available for oil and gas leasing as of July l, 2008, unless that action is expressly authorized by this subtitle or a statute enacted by Congress after the date of enactment of this Act.

New offshore drilling allowed by the measure could be done no nearer the coast than 100 miles, an exception being that states could approve drilling as close as 50 miles. However, no compelling reason is provided for any state to approve drilling in the 50-to 100-mile band, since all royalties generated as a consequence would be required to go to the federal government, with no share into state coffers. Some states on the Gulf of Mexico such as Texas and Louisiana have long received revenues from offshore oil and gas production. It is illogical to expect California or eastern states to permit resources be taken without likewise receiving compensation. In this bill, the 50-mile option was undoubtedly added to make the area opened to new drilling seem more substantial than it really is.