Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Thursday defended House Democrats’ energy package, saying plans to exclude states from revenue-sharing in drilling off their shores is necessary.

“It’s a CBO issue,” Pelosi told reporters.

As with any bill being crafted, “We start with how it’s paid for,” the Speaker said While revenue generated from offshore drilling would be new money, the idea of splitting those dollars with states “makes it just about impossible to do.”

Pelosi rejected GOP criticisms that the bill’s lack of revenue sharing means that no states will opt in and that no new American energy will come online.

States still have an incentive to opt in for drilling along their coasts, she said. “Jobs.”

The bill doesn’t say that opting in for offshore drilling means “you’re not getting any benefit,” Pelosi said.