NEW ORLEANS, LA & ALEXANDRIA, VA - American Conservative Union members are continuing their push for more American made energy today in New Orleans as the Interior Department continues hearings on a 5-year energy plan including offshore energy.

However, the Secretary of the Interior seems more intent on ignoring their comments than hearing what the public has to say.

Monday, in Atlantic City after Secretary Salazar stayed to hear comments from liberal special interest groups and to present his own thoughts on energy, he summarily walked out before citizens had an opportunity comment at his hearing.  Later, in the official Department of the Interior's posted web video of the hearing, the video ended before the hearing did - before public comment and after Salazar walked off the stage.

As a result, two Members of Congress have sent a letter to the Interior Department seeking an explanation and looking for improvements in the public comment process.  We too are awaiting a reply.

Still, ACU members are pressing on today in New Orleans.  

Jane Johnson, an ACU member from Baton Rouge, Louisiana who is a self-described lawyer, CPA and teacher, testified today that we need to look to our past to see what we need to do in the future: "I remember the lessons of 1973, when OPEC cut back supplies," she said, "Shortages gave rise to long gas lines and prices on all goods and services rose...  Opening up drilling to off-limit areas will boost the economy with direct infusions of new American cash and jobs. Don't cut off our noses to spite our faces or to appease pseudo-environmentalists." 

Her comments followed those of three other ACU members who testified on Monday at the Interior Department's hearings in Atlantic City, NJ.

Ellie Towhey, a Paralegal from Plymouth Meeting, PA; testified that a continued dependence on foreign oil was a direct threat to America's national security, "What happens when OPEC decides to reduce oil supplies or China's demand for gas directly affects our basic supplies here in the United States?  Nothing should supercede our national security."

Greg Rigby, a Small Business Owner from Auburn, NY; told the hearing, "We need a balanced approach on our energy needs with a focus on gas and oil.  We need to base our country's energy policy on science, not on emotion."

Ken Domonkos, a Sales Representative from Manchester, NJ; argued for more oil and gas drilling off our coast by saying, "We continue to spend untold billions of dollars annually on importing oil and gas which adversely affects our trade balance.  We need to stop outsourcing jobs by buying oil and gas from overseas and instead create those jobs right here, at home, in America."

In response to Secretary Salazar's choice to leave his own hearings  before public comment and his choice to end easy access for public comments on the government's website, ACU Director of Government Relations Larry Hart issued the following statement:

"In the reaction from members of the American Conservative Union and others across the country it is clear the American people have not been lulled by temporarily lower gas prices and still overwhelmingly support expanding our domestic energy supply which the draft five-year plan would do."

"We were amazed to learn that this tech-savvy Obama Administration has made it more difficult for American citizens to register their comments on the web and that the Department's Internet broadcast of the hearings shut down when public comments began.  This certainly does not reflect the stated goals of open and transparent government by the Obama Administration," he added.

To avoid a repeat of last summer's high gas prices, the American Conservative Union fully supports including all areas of the OCS for oil and natural gas development of domestic resources to create more jobs, more revenue for cash-strapped governments and greater energy security for our nation.

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The American Conservative Union (ACU) is the nation's largest and oldest grassroots conservative organization.  ACU is the recognized authority on rating the conservative votes in Congress through its annual congressional ratings cited by CQ, National Journal and almost all major national and regional publications.  The American Conservative Union's Foundation (ACUF) is the host of the CPAC meeting.  ACU is on the web at:  http://www.conservative.org/