Goode votes against offshore drilling bill
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Media General News Service
Published: September 18, 2008
U.S. Rep. Virgil H. Goode Jr. — a vocal proponent of domestic drilling for oil and gas — voted against a bill that would have authorized new oil drilling between 50 and 100 miles off America’s coasts.
The bill, which passed the House in a 236-189 vote late Tuesday, also curtails subsidies for the oil industry and offers incentives for renewable energy.
Goode, a Republican from Rocky Mount, said Wednesday that he opposed the bill because it lets the states decide if they will allow oil drilling off their coasts, but does not offer any financial incentives to do so.
“I doubt that the Virginia General Assembly will support drilling off her coast unless Virginia gets a share of the revenues from offshore drilling,” Goode said in a statement.
Goode added that he wanted to allow offshore drilling closer to the coastline than 50 miles.
The Democratic-backed bill, he said, was a “blatant example of putting politics before country.”
Last week, Goode said that the Democrats’ bill was “better than nothing” but that he wanted it to go further and offer revenue generated from offshore drilling in Virginia to be dedicated to the state’s transportation needs.
Goode has represented the 5th District since 1997. The district stretches from Charlottesville down to Southside Virginia.
Democrat Tom Perriello, Goode’s opponent in the Nov. 4 election, said that Goode’s vote against the bill was an act of “hypocrisy.”
“When it comes to energy independence, Rep. Goode’s record is running on empty,” Perriello said in a statement. “He is demonstrating tremendous hypocrisy: talking about his support for increased drilling and alternatives and then voting against them. Apparently, he’d rather protect oil company profits than increase drilling and make America energy independent.”
Perriello’s spokeswoman has said that Perriello was supportive of the principles behind the Democratic-backed bill.
U.S. Rep. Eric I. Cantor, a Republican from Henrico County, also voted against the energy bill, as did most Republicans. Cantor has represented the 7th District — which includes the counties of Madison, Orange and Louisa — since 2001.
The Senate is expected to take up the bill in the next few days.
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Posted by ( Freedom ) on September 18, 2008 at 5:14 pm
dosent international law allow only 12 miles from shore as property of the nation,,thus 50-100 miles out would have to fall under federal control,,thus usa oil ,,not VA.and i hope the congress saw to it that we get a good cut of the profit,,and so far i heard the bush is going to veto it anyway ,,so whats new,,thats all bush has done since the demo took over 2 yrs ago,,hope mccain dosent get the w/h,,or more of the same lamb-duckness..
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Posted by ( valpojoe ) on September 18, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Misleading headline! Goode did not vote against off shore drilling - he voted against a bill cynically crafted by democrats and purported to permit drilling.
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