When news broke a couple weeks back of the Obama administration’s decision to lend $10 billion of taxpayer money to aid in Brazil’s development of its offshore energy resources, reactions to the announcement were much more restrained than one would’ve expected. Certainly much more than we expected, if our post on the issue at the time is any indication.

Maybe it was that the story was initially reported by Spanish newswire EFE and no one else — and only picked up in the U.S. afterward by an outfit calling itself “Rig Zone.” Maybe it was the fact that the Export-Import Bank was involved in the transaction, and no one actually knows what that office does or why it’s important (although it was able to prepare a snazzy fact sheet in defense of the transaction). Maybe it’s the fact that we’re talking about Brazil – not exactly America’s closest friend in the hemisphere, but not exactly its greatest adversary either.

Whatever the reasons for the delayed reaction, the mainstream press eventually (if grudgingly) picked up on the story. A great editorial was filed in the Wall Street Journal subsequent to a quirky take on the decision offered up by Investor’s Business Daily. Other news outlets took note, but perhaps because we were only talking about a paltry $10 billion, it never really caught fire. Even considering the patent outrageousness of it all.

Thankfully, proof is starting to surface that our representatives on Capitol Hill are finally taking note of the story as well. Earlier today, Louisiana senator David Vitter sent the following letter to President Obama – applauding him for his recent interest in expanding the supply of oil on the world market, but inquiring also (reasonably, in our judgment) why he isn’t as keen on doing the same thing in the United States:

While I appreciate your efforts to expand offshore energy production in Brazil, it is my hope that your Administration will move forward quickly with a commonsense 5-year plan that opens our OCS, including the Eastern Gulf region, the Southeast region, and Alaska’s oceans.

Look at that – even tossing in a brief mention at the end of the struggle we’re having up in Alaska on this very same question. Actually, though, it’s not exactly the same. Alaska was included in previous five-year plans, and even still, areas in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas that scientists say hold more than 25 billion barrels of oil continue to lie in wait. Some of these areas, keep in mind, have already been bid on, leased, and paid for. But none of them have been explored – a distinction, albeit for different reasons, that we share with our friends along the Atlantic seaboard.

At any rate, Sen. Vitter seems to be onto something here – and best we can tell, he seems to be the only one on Capitol Hill currently onto it. His office number in Washington is (202) 224-4623. Maybe it’s worth giving him a quick shout and letting him know to keep asking the important questions. And maybe see if his colleagues might want to join him at some point.