Isakson to Obama: Lessen Our Dependence on Foreign Oil by Allowing Offshore Drilling

Jan 22, 2009

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., today called on President Obama to help lessen our dependence on foreign oil by allowing offshore drilling.

In a letter to Obama, Isakson and members of the Georgia congressional delegation urged the President not to reinstate the executive moratorium on offshore energy exploration and production and not to rescind the Department of the Interior plan for oil shale exploration and recovery.

“Last fall, President Bush lifted the executive moratorium on offshore drilling and Democrat leaders heard the voices of the American people and allowed the moratorium on oil and gas drilling off the Atlantic and Pacific shores to expire. It was considered a victory for our nation’s energy independence,” said Isakson.

“We can neither afford nor allow ourselves to become complacent. We must continue to take meaningful steps to move our nation’s energy independence forward. I hope President Obama and Democrat leaders were not making election-year promises they no longer intend on keeping.

“We also need to enact comprehensive legislation to decrease our dependence on foreign oil in the long term through measures such as increasing nuclear power generation, expanding renewable sources of energy and promoting conservation and efficiency.”