OH-02 Republican Jean Schmidt: She Hasn't Even Co-Sponsored House GOP Bill Opening U.S. Coast To Drillers

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- Mean Jean is missing in action even though the Republican leadership calls H.R. 3089 the No More Excuses Energy Act. And inquiring minds are wondering: Why hasn't Jean Schmidt signed up to support her own party's energy bill? The measure opens closed federal lands in Alaska, and also the Outer Continental Shelf in the Lower 48, to oil exploration and drilling. House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-8 Butler County, is a co-sponsor along with Roy Blunt, the Republican Whip. So is U.S. Rep. Geoff Davis, a Republican who represents Cincinnati's suburbs on the Kentucky side of the Ohio River. But OH-02's Schmidt, who made a speech on the House floor claiming Americans are desperate for cheaper gasoline (YouTUBE) while the Chinese are drilling off the coast of Florida, seems to have cut and run from her own party's "No More Excuses Energy Act."

In a press release issued earlier this month, Boehner -- who represents SW Ohio in a congressional district that abuts Schmidt's -- slammed House Democrats for refusing to back the bill:

“The Democratic Majority’s callous indifference as American families and small businesses struggle with $4 per gallon gasoline is both inexcusable and irresponsible. By flatly refusing to schedule votes on the House GOP plan to help reduce fuel costs and achieve energy independence, the Democrats in control of Congress are proving themselves complicit in our nation’s energy crisis, which is growing worse by the day on their watch.

“Where Democrats refuse to lead, Republicans will. Beginning today, House Republicans will offer a series of discharge petitions aimed at forcing the Democratic leadership to schedule several GOP-sponsored bills to increase production of American-made energy, reduce America’s costly dependence on foreign sources of energy, harness new alternative energy technologies, and lower gas prices. I thank Rep. Tim Walberg for offering the first discharge petition in this effort – one that seeks to force Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Hoyer to schedule Rep. Mac Thornberry’s No More Excuses Energy Act. The Thornberry bill will open new American oil refineries, invest in alternative energy sources, and increase environmentally-safe exploration of untapped oil resources in the United States.

“Rep. Walberg’s discharge petition provides rank-and-file Democrats an important opportunity to back up their rhetoric on gas prices with real action. By joining House Republicans in supporting it, they can send a long-overdue message to the Democratic leadership: American consumers are hurting, and this Congress has a responsibility to act on meaningful legislation aimed to bring down soaring prices at the pump.”
"NOTE: The No More Excuses Energy Act would help reduce the price of gasoline by opening new American oil refineries; investing in diverse energy sources such as wind, nuclear, and captured carbon dioxide; and making available more homegrown energy through environmentally-sensitive exploration of the Arctic coastal plain and in deep ocean energy resources. A recent Gallup survey indicated that 57 percent of Americans support increased production of American-made energy. For more information on the House GOP’s comprehensive plan for lower gas prices, please visit the House GOP’s “Real Energy Solutions” website at http://GOPLeader.gov/energy"

Meanwhile, the official CRS summary of the bill says:

"The following summary is provided by the Congressional Research Service, which is a nonpartisan government entity that serves Congress and is run by the Library of Congress. The summary is taken from the official website THOMAS.
7/18/2007--Introduced.
No More Excuses Energy Act of 2007 - Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to prescribe regulations for the taxpayer election to expense the cost of certain refinery property not later than 60 days after the enactment of this Act.
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) allow the issuance of tax exempt facility bonds for the financing of domestic use oil refinery facilities; (2) extend through 2018 the tax credit for producing electricity from wind facilities; and (3) allow tax credits for the production of electricity from nuclear energy, natural gas production, and carbon dioxide tertiary injectant processes.
Requires the President to designate at least 10 sites for oil or natural gas refineries on federal lands and make such sites available to the private sector for construction of refineries.
Prohibits the Nuclear Regulatory Commission from denying an application for nuclear waste disposal on the grounds of present or future insufficient capacity.
Terminates all existing federal laws prohibiting expenditures to conduct oil and natural gas leasing and preleasing activities in the Outer Continental Shelf.
American-Made Energy and Good Jobs Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to establish and implement a competitive oil and gas leasing program in the Coastal Plain of Alaska.
Repeals the prohibition against producing oil and gas from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Sets forth requirements for the sale of oil and natural gas leases in the Coastal Plain, environmental protection, transportation easements, and royalty payments to Alaska.
Establishes in the Treasury the Coastal Plain Local Government Impact Aid Assistance Fund to assist Alaska jurisdictions that are directly impacted by oil and gas exploration and production in the Coastal Plain."

And, the airline industry says the measure has merit. The industry's trade group has written House leaders urging action on the measure. As of this afternoon, Schmidt still hadn't signed on as a co-sponsor. The bill was filed last year, so she's had plenty of time to get aboard.