Out of Touch on Energy

Op-Ed

Out of Touch on Energy

I was absolutely shocked when I saw this quote in The Hill newspaper this week (click here for the full article):

"Right now, our strategy on gas prices is ‘Drive small cars and wait for the wind,'" said a Democratic aide.

I cannot think of a statement that is more out of touch with where Second District families are at this moment in time. On Monday, I visited two gas stations in the Second District to talk to people about how high gas prices are affecting their lives. With gas prices at over $4 a gallon, some people are unable to afford to put more than $10 in their tank while others have stopped driving all together and are riding their bikes to work. One thing is clear: the people of the Second District are angry and they demand solutions. "Waiting for the wind" is simply not an option for our families. People expect action and they want Congress to throw everything at the problem.

I support a comprehensive strategy that will: 1. Increase our domestic supply by expanding the development of American energy from the Outer Continental Shelf and ANWR; oil shale and oil sands; and liquefied coal technology for gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel; 2. Invest in alternative forms of energy like biodiesel, solar, geothermal, and nuclear; and 3. Encourage conservation measures.

Right now, this crisis is a problem of supply and demand. Increasing American energy is the answer to the high price of gas. My solution to this crisis is "All of the Above," meeting today's energy needs while we transition to the energy sources of the future. The Democrat Majority is standing in the way of the relief families need in the Second District and all over the country. They refuse to allow legislation to come to the floor to increase American made energy. They have shown time and time again that they are out of touch with the needs of the American people. Perhaps that's why Congress' approval ratings are in single digits for the first time in history.

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