Gohmert mustering fed aid for HB1512

By LESTER MURRAY
news@kilgorenewsherald.com

Congressman Louie Gohmert visited the Merritt home in Kilgore yesterday. Gohmert is pictured here with his wife Susan and Gregg County Judge Bill Stoudt (left). Gohmert was in Kilgore yesterday afternoon for a reception in the home of A.P. and Susie Merritt.

Gohmert said conventional ways of removing oil in this field are just not cost-effective. “The study would be looking for new ways to remove the oil and with American ingenuity I think the oil can be removed, which would not only benefit East Texas but the whole country,” said Gohmert.

House Bill 1512, introduced in the Texas legislature by Merritt, is aimed at finding ways to recover oil from the East Texas field that cannot be removed by conventional means.

The study will cost in excess of $2 million and Gohmert says he is trying to help raise federal funds for the project.

Geologists estimate the East Texas field holds about 625 million barrels of oil — including more than 600 million barrels now judged unrecoverable.

Gohmert said he is also considering social security, taxes and immigration issues at this time. “I support President Bush on social security,” said Gohmert. “Social security needs to be fixed now. By 2018 the government will be paying out more than is coming in and only being replaced with federal IOU’s.”

Gohmert said continuing social security the way it operates now will be “devastating” in 50 years.

Gohmert said immigration and the deficit are two more issues that need to be addressed now. “Our borders need to be more secure,” said Gohmert. “We must account for every person coming into the country.”

Gohmert said controlling the deficit is not just about the budget, but appropriations is where the hope is. “We have to start taking a closer look at what we are spending are money on,” said Gohmert. “Block grants, which help a lot of people in East Texas, are being cut and I am looking to help protect these grants.”

Gohmert said he will introduce a bill in the next few weeks called ‘No Flow’ which will stop funding to United Nation countries who do not support the United States at least 50 percent of the time.

Gohmert said he was glad to be back in East Texas. “Washington is a good place to get the job done, but it just isn’t home,” said Gohmert.