2016 FactCheck: on Energy & Oil

Hillary Clinton: FactCheck: US not yet quite energy-independent

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA.gov, a federal agency) says in it April 2015 report, "The United States is currently an exporter of petroleum products and coal, but an importer of natural gas and crude oil. When the energy content of these fuels is combined, the United States in 2014 imported 23.3 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu) of energy and exported 12.2 quadrillion Btu. Projections in EIA's recently released AEO2015 show that, on an energy content basis, U.S. energy imports and exports could come into balance in coming years."

In plain English, that means that the US is not yet energy-independent, but soon will be, if current policies stay in effect. So Hillary is only right if looking forward to the future with President Obama's policies staying in place.

David Jolly: I support offshore drilling, but not off Florida's coasts

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee declared, "In 2011 Jolly lobbied on behalf of Free Enterprise Nation," which supported the Roadmap for America's Energy Future, introduced as H.R.909 by Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) on March 3, 2011. The Roadmap "would open the Outer Continental Shelf to offshore drilling." Offshore drilling is not allowed off Florida shores, for the most part [despite H.R.909]. Jolly himself wrote an April 2011 Free Enterprise Nation blog post in favor of the Nunes bill.

Jolly responded to the DCCC's attack by saying the "comprehensive energy independence blueprint could have possibly expanded drilling in the Gulf, but I did not lobby on its behalf." He added he did support offshore drilling outside the 230-mile moratorium area.