美國眾議院上週（16日）以236對189票通過立法透過擴增沿海鑚油和對可再生能源與環境保育的投資，增加美國國內能源供應。
如果能繼續在參議院通過，並且經過總統簽署，則這項美國廣泛能源安全與消費者保護法案(Comprehensive American Energy Security and Consumer Protection Act)將允許在海岸線100英哩以外的聯邦水域進行石油與天然氣鑚採探勘，並讓各州自行決定海岸50到100哩間的鑚油活動。
一般認為參議院在11月總統大選前不可能通過這項法案。
眾議院議長同時也是加州民主黨員佩洛希(Nancy Pelosi)過去反對沿海鑽油，如今也支持這項法案，針對立場改變，佩洛希在9月16日表示這項法案「將顯著地確保美國能源獨立自給並加強國家安全。」
佩洛希提到：「沿海鑽油供應的油量將占現今開放租用的大陸棚總獲油量的85%─同時仍保護海灘和主要海岸產業。」 她表示：「這將為我們增加至少20億桶的原油─將近美國4年沿岸的產油量，並足夠支撐100 萬輛汽車繼續跑60年。」
然而眾議院共和黨團中某些代表雖然在夏季休會期間高聲訴求沿海鑽油，卻不支持這項法案。來自俄亥俄州的眾議院少數派領袖貝納(John Boehner)稱此法案為「另一項『毫無能量』的能源法案」("another 'no-energy' energy bill ")。他在9月15日星期一時表示這項法案「假裝提倡深海水域鑽油，但是實際上沒有包含任何誘因讓沿海各州批准鑚油活動。」
來自維吉尼亞州的共和黨眾議員德拉克(Thelma Drake)認為這項法案相當「殘酷」而且根本是一場「騙局」。 德拉克表示：「佩洛希的法案維持聯邦離岸50哩內的產油禁令，開放各州在離岸50至100哩之間的探勘，卻沒有提供收入分配的配套措施，剝奪真正使維吉尼亞等州自願選擇加入鑽油行動的誘因。」
佩洛希表示：「既然88%的已知石油與天然氣資源位於海岸線50哩內，同時部份大陸棚100哩外的石油鑽採可能不符合經濟效益，那麼將近88%的天然資源將永遠儲存保留。」 她進一部解釋這項法案將「重新配置美國人民、石油資源和石油大廠之間的財務關係。」
這項法案的支持者之一，德州民主黨國會議員格林(Gene Green)則表示此法案「透過從戰略儲油政策(Strategic Petroleum Reseerve)釋出石油，以降低消費者的能源支出；增加研究、發展和配置乾淨的可更新能源和能源效能技術；投資關鍵計劃，像是低收入家居能源補助計劃(the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program)、大眾運輸系統、碳收集與蓄積研究。」
這項法案建立可更新能源稅收抵免，並包含180億減稅優惠來鼓勵環保綠色技術發展和能源自立。也同時為天然氣汽車和節能家庭創造有利誘因。
Legislation to increase domestic energy supplies through expanded offshore drilling and investment in renewable energy and conservation won approval in the U.S. House of Representatives Tuesday by a vote of 236-189.
If passed by the Senate and signed by the president, the Comprehensive American Energy Security and Consumer Protection Act will allow oil and gas drilling in federal waters more than 100 miles off the coast and provide for drilling between 50-100 miles off the coast at the discretion of individual states.
Senate approval before the November election is considered unlikely.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat who has opposed offshore drilling in the past, now supports this bill, which she said Tuesday, "will be significant in ensuring American energy independence and strengthening our national security."
"The offshore drilling provisions would result in 85 percent of the total oil available on the Outer Continental Shelf being open for leasing - while still protecting our beaches and critical coastal industries," Pelosi said.
"It would expand our available oil by at least two billion barrels - nearly four years' worth of the oil produced offshore in America and enough to power one million cars for 60 years," she said.
But House Republicans, some of whom sought offshore drilling in a high profile series of speeches during the summer recess, do not support the measure.
House Minority Leader John Boehner of Ohio called the bill "another 'no-energy' energy bill." He said Monday that the measure "pretends to promote drilling in deep-ocean waters but actually contains zero incentives for coastal states to allow drilling operations."
Representative Thelma Drake, a Virginia Republican called the bill "cruel" and a "hoax."
"Pelosi's bill keeps the federal prohibition on energy production in place for the first 50 miles. It gives the states the option of opening up from 50 to 100 miles for exploration, but does not offer revenue sharing, depriving states like Virginia the incentive to actually opt in," said Drake.
"Since 88 percent of the known oil and natural gas reserves are inside 50 miles and portions of the OCS [outer continental shelf] beyond 100 miles production may not be economically viable, almost 88 percent of our natural resources would be permanently locked away," she said.
Pelosi said the measure will "rearrange the financial relationship between the American people, their oil, and Big Oil."
Texas Democratic Congressman Gene Green, one of the bill's sponsors said it would "lower energy costs for consumers by releasing oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve; increase research, development, and deployment of clean renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies; and invest in critical programs like the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, public transportation, and carbon capture and sequestration research."
The bill establishes renewable energy tax credits and includes $18 billion in tax cuts to encourage green technology development and energy independence. It creates financial incentives for natural gas vehicles and energy efficient homes.
