Souder Votes to Reduce Gas Prices by Suspending Oil Reserve Shipments

Press Release

U.S. Rep. Mark Souder voted today for House passage of H.R. 6022, the Strategic Petroleum Reserve Fill Suspension and Consumer Protection Act of 2008, which would temporarily suspend oil shipments to the federal government's Strategic Petroleum Reserve. The bill passed the House by a majority of 385-25.

"Gas prices are skyrocketing at the pump, and we're all feeling it," Souder said. "Moreover, Hoosier employers, especially those manufacturing pick-ups and RVs, need help, too. The federal government has been growing the Strategic Petroleum Reserve for years, and I believe that we can afford to halt further deposits in the reserve given the current, extreme circumstances."

"The current situation, however, shows that we desperately need a long-term solution to our nation's energy problem," Souder added. "Congress needs to pass an energy bill that actually produces energy. We can—and should—reduce our dependence on foreign oil and lower gas prices by increasing our domestic energy resources, including nuclear power, alternative energies, coal, and domestic oil drilling and refining capacity."

Located in Texas and Louisiana, the Strategic Petroleum Reserve is currently around 97-percent full, holding slightly more than 700 million barrels of crude oil.

Earlier today, the Senate overwhelmingly passed a measure similar to H.R. 6022.

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