Pelosi Turns Deaf Ear to the American People

Press Release

House Conference Secretary John Carter (TX-31) today condemned Democratic leaders for refusing to allow an open and honest debate on their latest "no energy" energy bill scheduled for a vote on the House floor today.

"Today Speaker Pelosi will send a strong message to the American people by not allowing a vote on an ‘all of the above' energy bill. She has made it very clear that the only energy bill this House will vote on is one created behind closed doors, in the dead of night and on her terms alone. Neither Republicans nor Democrats will have an opportunity to state their opposition by offering amendments that would allow for development of American oil. The Speaker will not allow a vote on any type of additional oil development anywhere in the United States because she knows it would pass overwhelmingly.

"The ‘no energy' energy bill would once again deny Americans a comprehensive energy package that would lower prices at the pump. This Democratic bill would permanently lock away 88 percent of American oil on the Outer Continental Shelf. Additionally, it would ban American energy exploration on Alaska's North Slope and in the western mountains. It excludes any efforts to produce nuclear and clean coal-to-liquids technology. This is not the energy bill the American people are begging for.

"While Speaker Pelosi will say this bill is a vote for drilling, this is far from the truth. It would block states from sharing in the multi-trillion dollar tax revenues that come from agreeing to drill offshore. In other words, Speaker Pelosi is intentionally leaving revenue-sharing out of the bill because she knows no state would go through the trouble to increase offshore production when they know they would be hit by billion-dollar environmental lawsuits.

"Americans have consistently cried out for American energy exploration to lower gas prices and free us from our dependency on foreign oil. Unfortunately, the voice of the American people has fallen on the Speaker's deaf ear. Today, the only voice that will be heard is that of Speaker Pelosi."

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