Kudos to Senator Warner

By E M Barner | Sunday, June 22nd, 2008 | Catch-All

and, drumroll please, Senator WEBB!

Considering that Warner-Lieberman is only the most recent in a long line of travesties that John Warner has attached his name to, you can imagine that I more frequently mention the name of my senior senator with disapprobation than its counterpart.

But this time, I write in praise of my Senior Senator. Even as he prepares to step off the stage and enjoy retirement, he is still thinking of the needs of the Old Dominion. On Wednesday, Warner introduced a bill, co-sponsored by Sen. Webb, which would clear the way for Virginia to request a waiver of the federal ban on offshore energy resource exploration. To his credit, Warner has introduced similar legislation in the past, only to have it shot down by his colleagues, sometimes w/out gaining a single co-sponsor. But this time, Webb has expressed his independence by joining Warner’s effort, much to the chagrin of some in his own party.

As most of us know, Republicans support safe, environmentally aware, cultivation and harvesting of our domestic energy sources. To Warner, and even more so to McCain, we send a message: “Thank you – even latecomers are welcome to this Party!”

If Warner’s bill passes, the General Assembly could seek Congressional blessing to explore for natural gas, and, if found, seek further Congressional blessing to permit drilling. All of this would be done at least 50 miles offshore (far beyond what eye can see, in case you are wondering), and Virginia would have to split proceeds with the Feds.

Now, a really smart Republican legislator would take this opportunity, coming right before the special session on transportation, to begin the process of petitioning the Feds for authority to undertake exploration – and allocating Virginia’s share of the proceeds as a dedicated revenue stream for road construction.

Then, watch the Sierra Club have a conniption.

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