mr. chairman , i thank the distinguished gentleman for yielding me this time . 
first of all , i am grateful that the committee on science had an opportunity to provide insight into this legislation . 
i have an amendment that i will be discussing later on in the day that speaks to the purpose of my standing today in general debate , and that is to make , i think , the declaration that we clearly need to have an energy policy . 
my amendment will engage farmers and ranchers in texas and all over the nation to give them extra training and resources to assess the availability and viability of bioenergy . 
but it is important that , although this legislation may not be all that we want it to be , the very fact that there is going to be a review of electricity and transmission is important , the very fact that we acknowledge the high cost of gasoline , even though i might say to my distinguished friend from tennessee i offered an amendment that might determine why there is such an increase in gasoline prices , why the transportation costs are so high , and of course that was not allowed . 
but we will have a number of debates dealing with the price of gasoline . 
this is not a `` get-you '' time in america . 
this should not be , we get the industry or we get the consumer . 
this needs to be a time when we sit down and reconcile over these very frightening issues . 
i want jobs in my community . 
i want a thriving energy industry . 
in fact , i had an initiative that would report on the deposits in texas and louisiana offshore so that we could be more independent of foreign oil and do more domestic drilling in a safe and environmentally manageable way . 
this bill today will allow us to debate these questions . 
am i disappointed ? 
in some sense , yes , that global warming is not mentioned , that more of the environmental emphasis is not mentioned ; but if we do not move from point a to point b to point c to have a real energy policy , there will be no way , if you will , to ensure for the american people a safe and secure america . 
it is a question of energy security . 
i would ask my colleagues to consider this legislation as we move forward . 
mr. chairman , i speak today with mixed emotions . 
while i realize the importance of having a comprehensive energy bill , i am concerned that the bill does not do enough . 
please do not misunderstand me , there are good aspects to the bill . 
for example , the bill provides for much needed advances in energy efficiency , renewable energy , and nuclear . 
however , there is still much work to be done . 
to this end , i plan to offer an amendment and work with members , and industry with hopes of improving upon some key aspects of the bill . 
before going any further , i think it is important to touch upon the question everyone is asking , `` why are gas prices so high ? 
`` whether right or wrong , the common answer has been that supply is not able to keep up with demand . 
according to recent studies , overall prices are rising because of the razor-thin supply and demand balance in the global crude oil market ( i.e . 
the increase demand for oil in china and india has played a major role in driving up oil prices around the world ) . 
in addition , the situation in iraq has not helped . 
unfortunately , there seems to be no end in sight to this problem . 
according to the energy information administration , eia prices in 2005 are projected to remain high , at an expected average of $ 2.28 per gallon for the april to september summer season , 38 cents above last summer . 
similar high motor gasoline prices are expected through 2006 . 
monthly average prices are projected to peak at about $ 2.35 per gallon in may . 
summer diesel fuel prices are expected to average $ 2.24 per gallon . 
as in 2004 , the primary factor behind these price increases is crude oil costs . 
in the united states , additional changes in gasoline specifications and tight refinery capacity can be expected to increase operating costs slightly and limit supply flexibility , adding further pressure on pump prices . 
despite high prices , demand is expected to continue to rise due to the increasing number of drivers and vehicles and increasing per-capita vehicle miles traveled . 
while these may be the facts , it does not sit well with my constituents back in texas , and for that matter with all americans . 
thus , as the bill moves along the legislative process , i will be working with members and industry to establish a sense of the congress that the secretary of energy , acting through the administrator of the energy information administration , should commence an immediate investigation on the causes of high gasoline prices in the united states and , in collaboration with the petroleum industry and the congress , develop a solution to such prices . 
at the rate we are going , the average american will not be able to afford to drive . 
it is important for me to mention that i will also work with members of congress to encourage the secretary of the interior , in consultation with other appropriate federal agencies , every 2 years , to transmit a report to the congress assessing the contents of natural gas and oil deposits at existing drilling sites off the coasts of louisiana and texas . 
it is important that we do our best to become an energy independent nation . 
this can only be done through the full utilization of energy sources within our nation 's geographic influence . 
currently , most if not all , of the nations we import oil from are either directly or indirectly hostile towards the u.s. many of these nations provide funding to terrorist groups who oppose the u.s. and at any time could decide not to sell oil needless to say , i represent residents and businesses that call the 18th congressional district of texas their home . 
energy and energy related companies and dozens of other exploration companies are the backbone of the houston economy . 
for this reason , the 18th congressional district can claim well-established energy producing companies and suppliers as well as those engaged in renewable energy exploration and development . 
i believe that the effects of rising energy prices have had and will continue to have a chilling effect on our nation 's economy . 
everything we as consumers eat , touch or use in our day-to-day lives have energy costs added into the price we pay . 
today , our society is in the midst of major sociological and technical revolutions , which will forever change the way we live and work . 
we are moving from a predominantly industrial economy to an information-centered economy . 
while or society has an increasingly older and longer living population the world has become increasingly smaller , integrated and interdependent . 
as with all change , current national and international transformations present both dangers and opportunities , which must be recognized and seized upon . 
thus , the question arises , how do we manage these changes to protect the disadvantaged , disenfranchised and disavowed while improving their situation and destroying barriers to job creation , small business , and new markets ? 
one way to address this issue is to ensure that this nation becomes energy independent through the full utilization of energy sources within our nation 's geographic influence . 
before concluding , let me say that as legislators , we must boldly define , address and find solutions to future energy problems . 
we know that the geological supply of fossil fuel in not infinite , but finite . 
we know that our nation 's best reserves of fuel sources are in the forms of coal and natural gas , among others . 
i would only caution my colleagues , administration officials , academics , industry leaders , environmental groups and consumers not to assume that we have learned all that is there is to know about energy extraction , refining , generation , or transportation but that we are still learning . 
we must bring to this debate a vigor and vitality that will enliven our efforts to not have a future of energy have and have nots , due to out of control energy demand with few creative minds working on the solution to this pressing problem . 
