Why Wait?

Op-Ed

Why Wait?

On Friday, August 1st, I stood in line with over 100 of my Republican colleagues, waiting to speak on the floor of Congress about our country's dire need for a comprehensive energy solution. I stood in line to speak on behalf of the American people, my neighbors, my friends, and my family. To speak about the horrific burden that we are all experiencing due to the skyrocketing cost of gasoline. But as my Republican colleagues edged closer to the microphone, Speaker Pelosi threw her gavel and adjourned Congress for a five-week vacation. She allowed a five-week vacation, while thousands of families around this country cannot afford to go on their own vacation.

This week, I returned to Washington, D.C. to join my colleagues in protesting Speaker Pelosi's adjournment for August recess without addressing gas prices. And although the cameras and microphones were off and the lights were dim, we spoke to the American people and demanded action to lower gas and energy prices for struggling American families. We demanded that Speaker Pelosi call Congress back into session so we can vote on the American Energy Act. A bill, which I introduced on July 23rd, that will increase the supply of American-made energy, improve conservation and efficiency, and promote renewable and alternative energy technologies. The American Energy Act is the "all-of-the-above" energy plan that this country needs. All we want is the opportunity to debate and vote on a responsible piece of legislation; we are not asking for a guaranteed outcome, just the chance to vote on behalf of our constituents.

Speaker Pelosi answered our call on Larry King when she said, in part, "[T]hey have this thing that says, drill offshore in the protected areas. Well we can do that. We can have a vote on that." Today, I ask the Speaker, why wait? Why are we waiting another four weeks to take action and vote on drilling while she allows Congress to be on vacation? Why doesn't she call Congress back to session and allow a vote now. Not next week, or the week after, but right now? Even though the president can declare that Congress must sit for an emergency session, he cannot set the agenda - only the leadership of the majority party can do that. It is only Speaker Pelosi who sets the agenda and can bring up this legislation for a vote

My Republican colleagues and I have spent the last six months using every tool at our disposal to try and get the Speaker and the Democrat majority to vote on legislation to lower gas and energy prices by expanding environmentally sound domestic production of oil and natural gas, improving energy efficiency, and encouraging the development of alternative energy technologies. Bill after bill has been ignored and solution after solution has been disregarded. I filed a discharge petition in June on a bill to repeal the ban on acquiring alternative fuels from unconventional sources such as shale oil. I have also signed many petitions filed by my colleagues on other integral pieces of energy legislation. A discharge petition is a means of bringing a bill out of committee and to the floor for a vote without the committee report and endorsement of the Democratic leadership. But even after all of our attempts, Speaker Pelosi continues to forbid an up-or-down vote on critical energy legislation.

American families are hurting. Schools are thinking of cutting back to 4 day weeks. Police cruisers are sitting idle, and fire department budgets are being gutted by high fuel costs. American farmers cannot afford to fully operate their farms to produce domestic sources of food. It costs hardworking families more to commute to work, head to church or pick the kids up after practice. Madam Speaker, we are here -over 100 House Republicans during the last 8 days - to say: why wait? Cancel the rest of your book tour. Call Congress back into session. Let's do the job the American people elected us to do. Let's get to work. Let's debate. And let's vote on the "all-of-the-above" energy solutions and the American Energy Act.

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