Peak Oil On the Floor of Congress

May 1, 2005 – Vol.10 No.6

PEAK OIL - ON THE FLOOR OF CONGRESS.

Energy certainly has the ear of the U.S. Congress. But only one Congressman (that I know of), Representative Roscoe Bartlett (R) of Maryland, has been pontificating on what many fear is true: Oil has peaked. Globally. We’re on the slow, bumpy downhill road to the end of oil.

On the floor of the House of Representatives, on C-SPAN (the cable TV political network), and at least one other cable TV show, Bartlett has been trying to tell the story. We’re running out of oil. It’s a really bad situation that needs to be dealt with - now.

Bartlett voted against the recent version of the Energy Bill. He voted against drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). He was the first in Congress to take delivery of a Prius. He lives in a solar home that he designed and built himself.

Will anyone in Congress listen? How about beyond those chambers? Bartlett - also an inventor - is not considered a mover and shaker on Capitol Hill. But, his district - much of it rural - spans nearly all the state, west to east, if that helps.

Bartlett’s speeches on peak oil can be downloaded at his website, http://www.bartlett.house.gov/ .