Adrian Smith

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Well, I can't make any promises, but certainly as it does speak to economics, there is concern that so much of the price of oil per barrel today is based on speculation, that the mere announcement that we would be opening up some domestic sources of petroleum resources, we would be perhaps warning those folks in the speculative world that things may change a bit.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Correct.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Thank you to the gentleman from Utah for yielding me time so that we can have a bit of a conversation on energy. I truly believe that our country is lacking a balanced policy. I think that our country is lacking a commonsense policy, which certainly leaves consumers out of the mix for what they need with food, with fuel for their vehicles, energy to heat their homes, energy to run a small business. The list goes on and on. But as we do address and look to the future, I think that utilizing today's technology and even tomorrow's technology so that we can certainly use the resources afforded our country, we can do that in a very responsible manner, and that we would not have certain issues become symbols of I think an extreme agenda that are endorsed by I think a relatively small group of Americans. In 1980, the Congress, and President Carter, I will add, created the nearly 20 million acre Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, but they set aside 1.5 million acres of ANWR's northern coastal plain for the purpose of future energy exploration and development. Let me repeat that. They set aside, this is Congress and President Carter in 1980, 1.5 million acres of ANWR's northern coastal plain for the purpose of future energy exploration and development. This parcel is known as the 1002 area, named after the section of the act that set it aside for its energy resources. Energy exploration will be limited to just 2,000 acres of ANWR's 1002 area, an acreage limitation made possible by 21st century technology. This 2,000 acres, I will add, is equivalent to one-tenth of 1 percent of ANWR's total acreage. According to the U.S. Energy Administration, the mean estimate of recoverable oil in ANWR is 10.4 billion barrels, all of which is now economically recoverable. That is more than the twice the proven oil reserves in all of Texas. That is almost half of the total U.S. proven reserves of 21 billion barrels. That represents a possible 50 percent increase in total U.S. proven reserves. EIA also estimates daily ANWR would provide 1 million barrels per day for 30 years. Will that affect oil prices? Absolutely. Is that a government subsidy? No. I hope that we can get beyond the policies of just saying ``no'' to domestic sources of energy. This is equivalent to what the entire State of Texas produces daily. ANWR's 30 year, 1 million barrel per day supply, also equals 30 years of imports from Hugo Chavez of Venezuela. Let's talk about the revenue. According to a recent CRS report, at today's prices of $125 per barrel, ANWR development would deliver $191.1 billion in corporate income tax and royalty revenue to the Federal Government. Let's talk about fiscal responsibility. Bonus bids alone would deliver close to $4 billion to the Federal Treasury. Economically speaking, relating to jobs, ANWR energy production would create between 250,000 and 750,000 good jobs in America across the country. These are good, broad-based jobs in the energy sector that, in the end, help consumers. A study from the National Defense Council Foundation says that the figure could be as high as 1 million new jobs for Americans in all 50 States and the District of Columbia. In terms of environmental protection, ANWR's leasing plan will be certainly environmentally sound. The Interior Department must administer the leasing program to result in no significant adverse effect on fish and wildlife, their habitat, subsistence resources or the environment. The leasing program will be subject to stringent regulations that at a minimum will require some of these details. Let me share them. Meeting or exceeding environmental mitigation measures established in the prior environmental impact statement. Limiting exploration generally to the period between November and May. Imposing seasonal limits to protect breeding, spawning and wildlife migration patterns. Using ice roads, airstrips and other low impact transportation methods while limiting air traffic to reduce disturbance to fish and wildlife. Requiring pipelines and roads to be designed to minimize adverse effects on migratory caribou, other wildlife and surface water flow. Protecting streams, springs, rivers, wetlands and riparian habitats from the effects of water used in drilling. Treating and disposing of all waste products by use of a hazardous material tracking system and filing an annual report on waste management. Educating crew members on environmental protection methods. Complying with all applicable air and water quality standards and utilizing the best commercially available technology for the exploration and development, not only today, but in the future as well. I could go on and on with many of these details that assure the responsible development, exploration and henceforth the development, but let me give some perspective to this briefly. The size of the small wildlife refuges that currently exist barely measure as a fraction of ANWR's 19.6 million acres, yet the ecosystem and energy production in the refuges coexist without harm. Consider the size of these following National Wildlife Refuges supporting active oil and gas production, according to information provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Hewitt Lake National Wildlife Refuge in Montana, total size, 1,680 acres; Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma/Texas, 11,000 acres; Kirtland's Warbler National Wildlife Refuge in Michigan, 6,543 acres; Delta National Wildlife Refuge in Louisiana, 48,000 acres. We are talking about a good chunk there. San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge in Texas, 37,000 acres; Crosby Wetland Management District in North Dakota, 86,000 acres. But, my friends, ANWR in Alaska, the total size of the refuge is 19.6 million acres, and proposed development is 2,000 acres. I would argue that what is best for consumers is a good, balanced energy policy that isn't just about petroleum. It is about many other sources. And the frustration from consumers in the Third District of Nebraska is getting higher and higher and higher, because they understand the economics of various sources of energy, whether it is biofuels that many people are speaking out against, or even nuclear power, nuclear energy that we know is friendly to the environment in terms of carbon emissions. Hydropower, it was interesting to learn that New Zealand is one of the world's, I would say, most green countries in terms of energy. They are about 80 percent dependent on hydropower. And there is so much pushback here in America on the development of hydropower, consumers are getting frustrated. It is not just policymakers, but it is consumers as well, because they can do the math. Clean coal technology, we have come so far with clean coal, and there is even greater promise in the future. Why would we want to sell ourselves short on that? Oil shale, that I know will be discussed here momentarily, certainly is a domestic source of energy. We heard earlier about some comments about becoming energy independent, oil independent, but yet there is so much pushback from developing our own resources in a very responsible manner.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. I will do my best.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Even bigger than the Third District of Nebraska, which is huge. Well, not acres-wise, but it is a large area.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. That is correct.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. I drive a diesel vehicle, and even though diesel is more efficient on a gallon-for-gallon basis, it is painful. I close with that.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Madam Speaker, since 1946, DECA has been the premier student organization preparing high school and college students for careers in marketing, management and entrepreneurship. Students are able to develop academic, leadership, communication, and civic responsibility skills. Through the efforts of this organization, thousands of students have become leaders and have improved their communities in countless ways. Today, I want to congratulate the thirty-nine students from the Scottsbluff DECA Chapter who qualified for and attended the International DECA Career Development Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. I also want to congratulate their advisor, Mr. Derek Deaver. Over 14,000 DECA members from all fifty states as well as Canada, Guam, Puerto Rico and Mexico attended the conference, held late last month. In this international competition, the Scottsbluff DECA Chapter made Nebraska proud. Many members received awards of excellence with one project--whose members include Brittany Shaneman, Jordyn Gray and Breanna Elley--placed in the top twenty, and Seth Wallace finishing in the top ten, placing third in the nation. The continued success of Mr. Deaver and his DECA students is a testament to the fact young Nebraskans represent a truly valuable resource. I applaud their achievements and wish them the best next year.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of one of our nation's greatest advocates for Native Americans, Chief Standing Bear. I have long said a leader does not make people do the right thing--a leader inspires them to do the right thing. Chief Standing Bear was such a leader. Born in Nebraska, the Ponca Chief and his tribe were forcibly moved to Oklahoma. In 1879, Chief Standing Bear was arrested and put on trial for leaving Indian Territory to bury his son in their ancestral home. After a two-day trial, a federal judge recognized Standing Bear as human under the law and freed him, a landmark decision securing constitutional rights for all Native Americans. I am proud to cosponsor H. Res. 1043, honoring Chief Standing Bear's life, legacy, and contributions to civil rights.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Madam Speaker, I want to thank the House of Representatives for taking action on the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program today. The Platte River has undergone extensive development for irrigation, power generation, and municipal water uses. The river system today contains 15 major dams and reservoirs and provides water for about 3.5 million people. Existing facilities on the river provide hydroelectric power, irrigation water, flood control, recreation, and fish and wildlife habitat. Substantial portions of the economies of the Platte River basin States--Wyoming, Colorado, and Nebraska--are based on water supplied by the Platte River. In 1997, the three States and the U.S. Department of the Interior signed an agreement to pursue a basinwide cooperative recovery implementation program to improve and maintain habitat for four threatened and endangered species which use the Platte River. The legislation we are discussing today is designed to implement a multi-state cooperative approach to assist in the conservation and recovery of habitat for the Platte River's endangered and threatened species and to help prevent the need to list more species under the Endangered Species Act. The bill would also provide regulatory certainty to the cities and industries which rely on flows of the river. As we move forward with the implementation of the program, positive and negative economic impacts must be assessed and considered in order to minimize adverse effects of the recovery efforts. This legislation is the first step of many to protect and recover species and provide long-term water use for our communities.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Madam Speaker, I rise today in appreciation of the brave men and women of the Drug Enforcement Administration. Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to tour the DEA's anti-meth lab training facility as well as the chance to briefly speak to agent trainees. Meth leaves lives destroyed and communities shaken to the core. These agents have literally devoted their lives to protect our communities and deserve our thanks for their efforts to combat the scourge of illegal drugs. Though the number of meth labs in America has decreased since 2006, Mexican drug cartels are creating super labs, which produce a huge percentage of the meth in our country. This is why I introduced the Meth Kingpin Elimination Act last year, which would increase penalties on drug manufacturers and smugglers. Meth abuse and production knows no borders, and I thank the instructors and students at Quantico for taking time to show us how important it truly is to win the war on drugs.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Madam Speaker, I rise today to call on the House of Representatives to pass a permanent research and development tax credit. We are the strongest Nation on Earth, in large part because of the innovation inspired through research and development. Throughout our history, America has led the way thanks to our innovators and entrepreneurs. Their contributions to our society have led us to a new era, but we cannot rest on these laurels. Even now, people in Nebraska and throughout our country are looking beyond the horizon for new ways to strengthen and grow our small, rural communities. We owe it to them to do everything in our power to foster these new ideas. We live in a world with unlimited innovation, and I look forward to seeing what the future will bring from further research and development. I urge the House leadership to bring H.R. 2138, the Investment in America Act, to the floor as soon as possible.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Chairman, it is vital that we work to protect grazing on public and private lands. In fact, communities throughout the United States depend on it. Millions of acres of lands within the NLCS have grazing. The NLCS is a direct threat to grazing for these several reasons. This is not by accident. Advocates who testified in support of H.R. 2016 list grazing as a ``threat'' to NLCS lands. This bill, in fact, directs the Secretary of Interior to manage NLCS lands similar to the National Park Service. This is a problem because there is no grazing on National Park Service lands. Outside groups will use this to drive off ranchers through lawsuits. This is harmful not only to ranchers themselves, a very difficult industry at this time, but to the communities in which they reside. It is also harmful ultimately to the American consumer. I urge others to vote ``no'' on H.R. 2016 and encourage a balanced policy as a result.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Madam Speaker, now that we are back in Washington, I am looking forward to passing a trade accord with Colombia. The agreement should be brought up before the House as soon as possible. Over 90 percent of U.S. imports from Colombia now enter our country duty-free. The agreement will provide U.S. companies and ag producers with duty-free access to the Colombian market. Colombia's market grew by 7 percent last year, and is already a top global export market for U.S. crops such as corn and cotton. With the trade accord in place, U.S. exports are projected to rise by more than $1 billion per year. The time is right. Opening new markets and strengthening existing ones is tremendously important to Nebraska's Third Congressional District and our Nation as a whole. It is my priority to help Nebraska's producers and industries continue to compete and succeed in the global market. I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Chairman, when I'm back in Nebraska, I take the opportunity to listen to my constituents about the challenges they face in their day-to-day life. The high cost of fuel, rising energy prices, and the overall strength of the American economy are all concerns for Nebraskans and all Americans. Now is the time for Congress to step up to the plate and act with common-sense and fiscal responsibility. The budget resolution we are debating, however, lets the American people down on those two fronts. Instead of supporting common-sense budget process controls and responsible spending levels, this budget systematically guts a range of budget process tools, from the Majority's own PAYGO rule to abandoning any criteria for emergency spending. In other words, the policies which make it easiest to tax-and-spend. This budget hikes discretionary spending by $204 billion over 5-years on top of the Administration's proposed increase, the Majority loaded up their resolution with over 20 so-called spending ``reserve funds,'' and increased reliance on budget gimmicks, such as advance appropriations. Unfortunately, this budget increases spending, raises taxes to historic levels, refuses to fix the AMT--which will hit millions of middle-class taxpayers if nothing is done. It does nothing to rescue Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid despite the fact the Budget Committee has heard time and time again that something must be done about entitlement spending. Regrettably, the budget we will consider today appears to simply underscore this Majority's insistence on reckless spending, chased by record tax hikes on American workers and businesses, and massive debt burdens for future generations. Nebraskans--and all Americans--have called for Congress to live up to its fiscal responsibilities. Today, however, we are debating a bill which badly misses the mark. I urge my colleagues to take a stand against this budget--which proposes hundreds of billions of dollars in new government spending paid for with the largest tax hike in American history.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Perkins County Plainsmen on their 62 to 49 victory over Sutton to take the Class C-2B Nebraska Girls Basketball State Title on March 1, 2008. They embody the spirit of teamwork, determination, and heart, which champions display. They finished the season unbeaten, but definitely not untested. Sutton, who allowed an average of just 35 points a game this season, gave the Plainsmen all they could handle, but came up short. So, it is with a sense of pride that I congratulate the Perkins County Plainsmen girls' basketball team on winning this championship. This victory is the result of months and years of hard work by the players, students, and their coaches.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Madam Speaker, Today, I want to congratulate the Hastings St. Cecilia Bluehawks on winning the Nebraska Class C-I Boys Basketball Championship on Saturday, March 8, 2008. In a game dominated by the defense, the Bluehawks finished ahead of previously unbeaten Bennington by a score of 50 to 43--all the more remarkable when you consider the score was only 24-22 at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Both teams deserve congratulations for finishing a great year. As one of the Bluehawks' coaches remarked, ``This group can do anything they want to do when they put their minds to it.'' I think that phrase can be used to sum up all of the great athletes who dedicated themselves this year, whether they made the championship game or not.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend the Ewing Tigers girls basketball team for winning the 2008 Nebraska State Girls Basketball Class D-2 Championship by the score of 45-44 last week, just barely edging the Pleasanton Bulldogs. The returning champs from 2007--who went 0-19 just three years ago-- found their salvation on the foul line, making three of four free throws with just 23 seconds to go in the game. A coach I know once said that if you make your free throws, you win the game. Well, the girls from Ewing certainly proved him right. The players showed grit and determination during their championship game, but also dedication, teamwork and responsibility during the regular season to get them to the final game. They should be proud of their accomplishments, as I'm sure their entire community is of them. I hope the girls and their coaches are as proud of themselves as we are of them. They deserve a well earned break, and I look forward to following their season next year.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, this week the House will, for the third time, debate an energy bill which actually raises gas prices for the American people, sends manufacturing jobs overseas, and increases our reliance on foreign energy. This energy tax hike will raise taxes on domestic energy producers, in essence making it more difficult and expensive to produce American energy for American consumers. As you know, oil has reached and broken the previously untouched benchmark of $100 a barrel, and the average national price of gasoline has gone up 16 cents in just 13 days. In my State of Nebraska, gas prices are hitting $3.14 in Grand Island, and in Scottsbluff they're hitting $3.08. The American public is deeply worried about the rising cost of energy, yet we stand on the verge of making it worse by stubbornly going forward with this legislation. It's simple, really; raising taxes on American energy leads to higher gas prices and a greater dependency on foreign sources of energy.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Madam Speaker, I rise to salute the engineers, past, present, and future, of the United States of America. Engineers have shaped our history, from aiding the colonists to win our independence to designing our advanced, modern technologies. They impact our daily lives from the first ring of our alarm clocks in the morning to our late-night, online shopping. In my home State of Nebraska, engineers aid agriculture with new and more effective agricultural chemicals and better equipment and technologies. Nebraska engineers help secure our Nation's energy independence by supporting the ethanol industry. Nebraska engineers ensure our roads, bridges, water-works, and other infrastructure are well designed, functional, and safe. Engineers are key to a prosperous and productive future for all Nebraskans and Americans. There are nearly 150 engineering companies in Nebraska's Third District. Every day I hear about the need to attract talented, educated young people to fill technical, engineering, and science positions in small communities and rural areas in the Third District. I have been, and continue to be, an enthusiastic supporter of the America COMPETES act which encourages American competitiveness in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education. I am optimistic this initiative will help Nebraska's engineering businesses attract and maintain native talent in engineering.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Chairman, since being elected to Congress, I have had the opportunity to speak with young students throughout the Third District of Nebraska. They are smart and sharp, and we need to do everything we can to encourage them. Unfortunately, however, many rural States have seen what we call ``brain drain'' in recent years. As the depletion occurs, we lose our most vital economic asset to more populated areas. Responsible policy is needed to retain and grow our workforce to make our rural communities more competitive in this modern economy. The College Opportunity and Affordability Act seeks to address this by encouraging economic development partnerships. These partnerships would be formed between rural colleges and universities and rural employers. This would provide additional career training to students attending rural schools in fields significant to the local economy. It also would encourage rural businesses to employ students once they graduate. I thank the chairman and ranking member for working with me to target these partnerships to the areas in the most need.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, prizes have a history of encouraging innovation by promoting competition and expanding the talent pool to include a numerous and diverse array of groups and individuals. Those unable or unwilling to secure grants can participate in the race for the goal. With prizes, government funding is not used to pick technological winners and losers. The prize is only awarded if the goal is met. Prizes encourage the investment of private capital and research, even beyond the monetary value of the prize. I applaud the X PRIZE Foundation for spurring competition and innovation in the race to a more efficient automobile. When the 100 mile-per-gallon vehicle is achieved, citizens of my home State of Nebraska will be able to drive across the State on Interstate 80 on only 4\1/2\ gallons of fuel. This tremendous efficiency would dramatically reduce our Nation's dependence on foreign oil, it would stimulate our economy, and certainly improve our national security. I am grateful for the vision and enterprise of men like Dr. Peter Diamandis who kindle the spark of innovation that leads to revolutionary technologies.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate 11 Nebraska towns for being named ``Great Places to Raise Kids for Less'' by Business Week Magazine. Anyone who has ever been to Nebraska knows it's a great place to raise a family. Now it looks like others are finding out, and I hope the rest of the Nation takes note. Nebraska boasts 11 of the 50 places in the United States which offer kids and their parents the right combination of safety, community, and education. I am also proud to point out that out of those 11, seven are in Nebraska's Third Congressional District, which I have the honor of representing. So congratulations to the towns of Davenport, Loomis, Diller, Petersburg, Bartlett, Lawrence and Arapahoe for showing the rest of the country how good Nebraska's good life can be.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Madam Speaker, on Thursday, November 29, my uncle, Giles Smith, died at the age of 64. My Uncle Giles was a man who cared about his community and actively made it a better place. He meant a lot to me, and was an inspiration to many. We will miss him. Due to family matters, I was delayed in returning to Washington DC until today, causing me to, regretfully, miss several votes. For the record, I would have voted ``no'' on rollcall 1123, ``yes'' on rollcall 1124, ``yes'' on rollcall 1125, ``yes'' on rollcall 1126, ``yes'' on rollcall 1127, ``yes'' on rollcall 1128, ``yes'' on rollcall 1129, ``no'' on rollcall 1130, ``yes'' on rollcall 1131, ``yes'' on rollcall 1132, and ``yes'' on rollcall 1133.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, I rise also with a heavy heart to express my condolences to the families of the victims that were tragically gunned down yesterday in Omaha. It is amazing, as Mr. Fortenberry pointed out, how cruel the world can be, and I only hope that we will come together and look at the root causes of these sources of violence, as we look at the violence that affects basically a rural area of our country, the Heartland, as many would call it, that none of us can escape some of this violence. As we pull together, I know that perhaps we can learn from what happened yesterday. But, again, I want to especially express the condolences that I feel for these many victims who actually have roots across Nebraska. With that, I yield my time to Mr. King of Iowa.