Solving the Challenge with Regard to Gas Prices

Floor Speech

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I go home, as most Members of Congress do, every weekend and talk with constituents and try to get a sense of what their concerns are and make certain that we are representing them responsibly here, and upon my last visits home on the weekends over the past 3 or 4 months, their concerns are the concerns of Americans all across this country, and that is the concern of energy prices, of gas prices. They aren't just concerned, Madam Speaker; they are mad. They are mad because they see absolute and utter inaction here in the United States Congress. American values and American vision dictates that we do all we can to solve the challenge that we have before us as it relates to gas prices.

Four dollars a gallon, we hit that mark over this past weekend.

I wonder what price per gallon it will take to get this Democrat majority to act, to work to increase supply. Is it $5 a gallon, $6 a gallon, is it $10 a gallon? Will it happen then that this Democrat majority will then allow this Congress to vote on increasing supply?

Now, there are all sorts of things that ought to be done. The kinds of things that have been described by my friend on the other side of the aisle are appropriate, and we ought to do them. I support, strongly, conservation. We can do a lot more in the area of conservation and should incentivize conservation.

I support, strongly, finding that alternative fuel and incentivizing genius of the American people to identify what that is so that future generations won't be reliant on fossil fuel. But right now, it's imperative that we work to increase supply.

This problem isn't new. This distinction between folks on the Democrat side of the aisle and the Republican party on this side of the aisle isn't new. We have had vote after vote after vote over the past 10 or 15 years on increasing the supply of oil in this Nation, and time after time after time our friends on the other side of the aisle have not risen to the occasion. You talk about Alaska exploration, ANWR exploration, House Republicans have supported that 91 percent of the time, 91 percent of House Republicans have supported Alaska exploration; Democrats, 86 percent have opposed it.

Jay Leno, I don't know if you heard, Jay Leno said Democrats right now say that it will take 10 years if we explore in Alaska to realize any new gasoline, and then he said, that's exactly what they said 10 years ago.

It goes on and on. Coal-to-liquid technology, 97 percent of Republicans have supported coal-to-liquid technology, 78 percent of Democrats have opposed coal-to-liquid technology. Oil-shale exploration, every time it has come up 97 percent of Republicans have supported it; House Democrats, 86 percent have opposed it. Deep-sea exploration, House Republican support, 81 percent; House Democrats, 83 percent opposed.

What about increasing refining capacity? House Republicans, 97 percent support; House Democrats, 96 percent opposed. So 91 percent, in summary, of House Republicans, have historically voted to increase the production of American-made oil and gas and 86 percent of House Democrats have historically voted against increasing the production of American-made oil and gas.

It has been said that every other Nation on Earth views their natural resources as an economic asset. House Democrats, this majority, believes that natural resources in this land are an environmental hazard.

What do we do? Well, I want to commend Representative Tim Walberg of Michigan, who is leading the fight to decrease gas prices. He has filed a discharge petition on House Resolution 3089, which will increase refining construction and capacity, boost alternative energy development, provide incentives to increase nuclear energy and allow for environmentally friendly domestic oil production.

I call on the Speaker, and I call on the leadership of this House to bring this commonsense bill to the floor. These are real solutions for the American people, American energy for Americans. It's the American vision, it's the American values that are across this land.

The American people understand and appreciate the challenges we face. They just can't understand and appreciate why this majority won't act to increase supply.

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