Energy

Floor Speech

ENERGY -- (Senate - July 26, 2008)

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Mr. CORKER. The senior Senator from Tennessee provides tremendous leadership and certainly has done that on the issue of energy. He has spent time on the Energy Committee and knows of the great things happening in the State of Tennessee in this regard. What I would say to the Senator from Tennessee, someone who is a great friend, I worked hard to come to this body. You saw the tremendous effort I put in place to come to this body.

This is the biggest issue the American people are dealing with today. I did a townhall meeting the other night on the phone, which had about 1,200 people, and almost every question people called in about was: Are we going to do anything as it relates to energy? So I know this is a major issue. I know it affects people.

I go into retail stores, for instance, where somebody is working behind the counter, and I know they are not making a very high wage. They tell me: Please, is there something you can do to solve this problem? In my family, we are having to make decisions I thought we would never have to make, and I am concerned about what is going to happen this winter.

So, yes, to get back to the Senator and sharing reflections, it is hard for me to believe we have a body of 100 adults, we have the biggest issue our country is dealing with, and one Senator--one Senator--has decided no one can offer amendments. I think it is a lack of responsibility to the American people. I do feel remiss that you and I both are not able to represent the people of Tennessee to do something they know makes sense; and that is, produce more and use less.

I thank the Senator for this time.

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