Washington, D.C. – David N. Parker, president and CEO of the American Gas Association, (AGA) today released the following statement commending President George W. Bush for signing the FY09 Continuing Resolution (CR), which secured a record $5.1 billion for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and ended a decades-long moratorium on natural gas and oil production on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS):
"AGA commends President Bush and Congress for providing an unprecedented $5.1 billion in funds to LIHEAP, which will help low-income Americans stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer. In today’s strained economy, these additional funds will provide a critical safety blanket to help protect our most vulnerable citizens from rising energy costs regardless of the season.
“AGA is also pleased that an extension of the moratorium on offshore production in the OCS was not included in the CR, effectively ending the ban and allowing for increased exploration and production of the vital energy resources needed to fuel America’s economy.
“We encourage the 111th Congress and the next president of the United States to uphold the decision on the moratorium and ensure Americans have access to needed reserves of domestic, clean burning natural gas to meet today’s and tomorrow’s energy needs efficiently and responsibly.”