Published: 07-14-08
Will Congress “Pack it up and go Home” as Gas Prices Sour or will Enough Dems Defy the Speaker’s Orders and Vaote for More American Energy?
Just as some Democrats in both the House and the Senate are beginning to heed the American people’s calls for more American energy production House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has threatened to do something quite different. She’d rather “pack it up and go home.”
That’s right. As families and small businesses are paying $4.10 per gallon for gasoline according to AAA Speaker Pelosi would rather “pack it up and go home” than increase American energy production to reduce the pain at the pump – even though some of her Democratic colleagues have indicated they would support a plan to increase our energy supply. This morning’s New York Times has the details:
“But with public anxiety growing over gasoline prices some Democrats say their party has to move beyond encouraging exploration on tracts already owned by oil companies and open new potentially productive areas to exploration.”
“Leaders of a coalition of moderate and conservative Democrats known as the Blue Dogs have stepped up their push for drilling both in the Arctic refuge and offshore saying the oil royalties produced could pay for research into new energy technologies...”
“Ms. Pelosi who considers energy legislation a personal priority does not appear ready to shift her view based on discussions in a private meeting with members of the leadership on Thursday. According to accounts from those present Ms. Pelosi said that if Democrats relented on drilling “then we might as well pack it up and go home.”
This stunning admission is more than a little ironic since the Speaker made repeated and empty declarations of “energy independence” throughout 2007…declarations like these:
· “We hope to have legislation on global warming and energy independence through the committees by July 4th so that this year Independence Day is also ‘Energy Independence Day.’” (Press Release 1/18/07)
· “We hope to have legislation that will be a starting point on global warming and energy independence through the committees by July 4th so that this year Independence Day is also Energy Independence Day.” (Science & Technology Committee Hearing Opening Remarks 2/08/07)
· “House Democratic leadership will be working hand in glove with the committees to unveil a package for July 4th – ‘Energy’ Independence Day.” (Speech 4/25/07)
· “We have elevated this issue by creating the Select Committee and we will make this July 4th Energy Independence Day.” (Speech 5/08/07)
· “With confidence in American ingenuity and high faith in our future we Democrats declare America’s independence from foreign oil.” (Press Release 6/28/07)
· “We had the results of a tasking that the leadership gave to the 11 committees of jurisdiction to the chairman to say by June so that we can announce our package for the Fourth of July energy independence day for us.” (Press Conference 6/29/07)
The Speaker of course was referring to July 4 2007. That landmark date of “energy independence” was more than a year ago. Since then gas prices have increased 38 percent – part of the incredible 76 percent increase in the price at the pump since Democrats took control of Congress on January 4 2007. And NOW the Speaker and her colleagues in the Democratic leadership want to “pack it up and go home”???
In sharp contrast House Republicans believe Congress should not go home for the August recess without giving the American people the energy reforms they expect and deserve. Highlighting the House GOP’s “all of the above” plan to increase American energy production encourage more efficiency and conservation and promote the use of alternative fuels Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) yesterday told his colleagues that House Republicans will insist on a vote to increase American-made energy before Speaker Pelosi sends Congress home for the five-week August break:
I’m going to say it one more time we need to do ‘all of the above’ if we’re serious. We can drill in an environmentally sound way and that’s what we should be doing… We’re not going to leave here for the August recess until we get a vote on having more American-made energy.”
With Americans paying $1.77 more per gallon of gasoline today compared to when Rep. Pelosi first took the Speaker’s gavel which approach would they support: have a vote on American energy before the August recess or “pack it up and go home”? For those forced to cut short their summer vacations or rearrange their travel schedules to visit friends and family the answer is clear. It would be irresponsible to “pack it up and go home.” Congress must vote on the House GOP’s “all of the above” plan to lower gas prices.
