Almost two days have passed since the Democratic majority was able to pass their partisan energy legislation in the House.  And although, the House Democrats claim they want to stimulate the economy, their energy legislation does not address the call for more American oil by the American people.  The small detail about the vote two night’s ago which has escaped the public eye is the fact that a bipartisan energy bill, authored by Rep. John Peterson (R-PA) and Neil Abercrombie (D-HI), was also up for a vote, and all 24 Democrats who had cosponsored the legislation voted it down.

I have found that it is a sad day on the floor of the House when party politics interferes with addressing the concerns of the American people. All 24 of my Democratic colleagues who voiced their support of the Peterson-Abercrombie legislation through statements and co-sponsorship flip-flopped, proving that the Democrats are once again unwilling to create bipartisan legislation. This hoax by the House democrats is purely a political move to try and protect their own vulnerable seats going into the November election.  Speaker Pelosi and her leadership team have yet again denied Republicans the opportunity to bring the “American Energy Act” to the floor for a proper debate and vote. The Democrats know that the legislation passed last night will not move past the House, yet they continue to play games with the wallets of the American people.

My Republican colleagues and I have not given up the fight to bring economic relief to the pump and we will continue to push for a vote on the American Energy Act so that the people of our great nation no longer suffer.  I have pledged my support for this legislation and will not take a page out of the book of the Democrats and turn my back on something I believe in.

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As many of you may know, over the last five weeks 135 of my Republican colleagues returned to D.C., and some of us, including myself, came back multiple times to protest with the American people against Speaker Pelosi’s decision to adjourn Congress without a vote on a comprehensive bill to lower gas prices. With the Democrats now returning to the floor of the House, it comes as no surprise that the floor schedule for the week, which is set by the House Democratic leaders, does not contain a vote on any energy legislation.  As the House Democrats continue their failure to act on the concerns of many Americans, our energy crisis continues to worsen.

My Republican colleagues and I understand the economic difficulties that our country is facing at this time.  With the winter months slowly creeping upon us, gas prices are expected to rise, and for those of use in the Northeast, where home heating costs are also expected to soar, economic relief is an issue that must be addressed.  However, it is now
becoming clear to me and other members of the House that the Democratic Majority feels like other issues, such as the “Missisquoi and Trout Rivers Wild and Scenic River Study Act of 2008″ which studies trout, is more important than our nations energy crisis.

It is time for Speaker Pelosi and the Democratic Majority to stop blocking a vote on the American Energy Act. Their lack of focus on the concerns and needs of the American people will only allow for the energy crisis to worsen. One thing is for sure and that is until the time comes when the majority plans to act my Republican colleagues and I will continue to protest and fight for relief for our constituents.

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As many of you know, on Tuesday I came back to DC to rejoin my Republican colleagues on the House floor instead of going to the National Republican Convention. This is the fifth week that House Republicans have stood with the American people in a historic nationwide protest against Speaker Pelosi’s decision to adjourn Congress for a five-week vacation without a vote on a comprehensive bill to lower gas prices and increase American-made energy.

I have been asked why I came back to DC. Well, the answer is that our families, neighbors, and businesses are struggling. Over the last month, the cost of gasoline has decreased slightly but if we don’t take action now, energy prices are going to skyrocket higher than we can imagine. This is only going to get worse in the coming winter months, especially for us in the Northeast, where home heating costs are also expected to soar. I am here in DC today because the Democrats inaction is unacceptable and unforgivable.

To read the text from the press conference click here 

To read the speech I gave on the House floor click here

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Today, I joined my Republicans colleagues on the floor of Congress to protest against Speaker Pelosi’s decision to adjourn Congress for the rest of the summer without a vote on a comprehensive energy bill to lower gas prices and increase American-made energy. What began 10 days ago as a spontaneous uprising on the floor of the U.S. House after Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) sent Congress home for a five-week break without allowing a vote on the American Energy Act, has become an unprecedented nationwide protest.

Today, I am proudly standing with my Republican colleagues, staffers, and tourists visiting the Capitol to demand action on the ‘all of the above’ energy plan that I support. I will stand with every American who expects more out of Congress and demands action now. And although the microphones and camera are turned off, our message will be heard and we will not rest until Speaker Pelosi has allowed an up-or-down vote on the American Energy Act. To read my floor speech click here  

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By now you all know that Democrats voted to adjourn the House of Representatives for five weeks without passing legislation to help lower gas prices. But my Republicans colleagues and I are calling for Congress to come back and work. In the House chamber and all across the nation, we are protesting the Congress’ adjournment and demanding a vote on our “All of the Above” energy reforms. Last week, I voted against adjournment twice and called for Speaker Pelosi to request a special session of Congress so we can address gas prices and have an up-or-down vote of the American Energy Act. I am disappointed that this has not happened yet and disappointed that the President is not going to call for a special session as well. We need action now, not five weeks from now. It is time for Congress to come back to work and vote on the comprehensive energy plan that our country needs.

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Today, I voted twice against adjourning Congress for the August district work period. I voted against allowing the Democratic majority to leave for five-weeks without doing anything to address our current energy crisis. I voted against allowing Speaker Pelosi to go on her book tour and other members of Congress to go on vacation when so many American families can’t afford their own. Despite Republican efforts to force Congress to handle the energy crisis before adjourning for five-weeks, Democrats have chosen to adjourn for the August District Work Period.

You might be interested to read some of the legislation Democrats have chosen to bring to the floor instead of energy legislation:

The Democrat leadership has prevented the full House from even considering a Republican bill ending the prohibition on oil shale leasing on federal lands (H.R. 6211, et al.), BUT…

The Democrat leadership brought to the House floor a bill prohibiting the sale of wild, free-roaming horses and burros (H.R. 249).

The Democrat leadership has prevented the full House from even considering a Republican bill ending the moratorium on oil and gas leasing on most of the Outer Continental Shelf (H.R. 6302 et al.), BUT…

The Democrat leadership brought to the House floor a bill preventing monkey bites by banning the sale of non-human primates (H.R. 2964).

The Democrat leadership has prevented the full House from even considering a Republican bill opening a small area of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to energy development (H.R. 3089 et al.), BUT…

The Democrat leadership brought to the House floor a resolution honoring the ideals of the International Year of Sanitation (H.Con.Res. 318).

The Democrat leadership has prevented the full House from even considering a Republican bill ending the prohibition on the government procuring fuels from unconventional sources (H.R. 5656 et al.), BUT…

The Democrat leadership brought to the House floor a bill creating a Native Hawaiian tribe where one does not exist (H.R. 505).

And the list goes on…

It’s clear that Democrats have priorities, but none of them involves an increase in American energy supply to help lower gasoline prices.

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Yesterday in an interview with Politico, Speaker Pelosi declared that the reason that she is refusing to allow a debate and vote on energy legislation is because she’s, “trying to save the planet.”  In a TV interview this morning on FOX News, Republican Leader Boehner responded directly to the Speaker’s latest excuse:

MEGYN KELLY:  Here’s what the Speaker said.  I have it here so bear with me while I read it.  She said when pressed on what she’s not allowing this to go for a vote, “I am trying to save the planet.  I am trying to save the planet.  I will not have this debate trivialized by their excuse,” meaning Republicans, “for their failed policy.”  Any response?

BOEHNER:  Megyn, for 25 years, Democrats have blocked more American-made oil and gas.  That is why we are in the predicament we are in.  That is why 70 percent of our energy comes from overseas.  And she has time to go out and promote her book tour and her new book, but she does not have time to schedule a vote on the floor of the House and let the American people have their will expressed.  I mean, we got elected to Congress to go there and represent our constituents.  They want us to vote on more American-made oil and gas.  We want to do that.  She, Harry Reid, and Barack Obama are standing in the way.

Congress only has four legislative days before the August District Work Period. The time for talk to long past and we need to act now on legislation that will lower the price at the pump. Democrats have four more legislative days to listen to the will of the American people and allow a vote on energy exploration, conservation and innovation and increasing American-made energy all to lower gas prices.

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Today I did a blog posting for The Hill on the American Energy Act that I introduced yesterday. Click here to read the posting. Click here to read my press release on the bill.

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This week is another week of the Do-Nothing Congress doing nothing on energy legislation. This week’s schedule so far does not include any legislation that will reduce the cost of gasoline. Today, however President Bush lifted an executive ban on energy exploration on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). Today’s lift will remove the 1990 presidential directive that orders the Interior Department not to issue oil and gas leases in deep ocean energy zones. But because there is also a Congressional ban on offshore drilling, the Democratic leadership must bring to the floor legislation to lift this ban before we can begin producing American made energy.

Recent public opinion polling shows that two-thirds of Americans support increased, environmentally-safe domestic energy production - both in deep ocean energy zones and on remote federal lands - as a chief component of those reforms.  With today’s announcement by the President, only the Democratic leaders of Congress stand in the way of such exploration to occur in deepwater energy reserves.

Now it is up to the Democratic leadership to bring to the floor legislation that will allow responsible deepwater oil and gas exploration to help lower gas prices. I hope by the President lifting the executive ban, it will spur the Democrats in Congress to finally realize that it is essential for America to invest in American made energy. We must work towards energy independence and these common-sense steps that I support will reduce our dependence on foreign oil and increase American made energy.

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Poll-after-poll has shown that the American people are lining up behind the “all of the above” energy agenda that I support.  Americans need a comprehensive energy policy that includes conserving more, drilling in America, bringing online additional refineries, and developing all viable alternative fuel sources. Finally, Democrats are voicing their support as well:

Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-HI) Natural Resources Committee Member
“Then we better get started, because the longer we delay, the more we’re jeopardizing the American economy.” (Fox News, 7/7/08)

Rep. Gene Green (D-TX) Energy and Commerce Committee Member
“Americans need Congress to look at real solutions in addressing our energy needs, especially when we have $4 a gallon gas. … We need answers and not just slogans… We need to do it all. … We have senators going to Saudi Arabia begging for them to increase their production, but we won’t increase ours in some of the most, potential, productive areas?” (Floor remarks, 6/26/08)

Rep. Charlie Melancon (D-LA) Energy and Commerce Committee Member
“My concern with my leadership is that they’re not letting all the people in the room to present the facts. Where are all the pro-oil legislators? I’m not in the room. I don’t know who is. My feeling is we are not being all-inclusive to pass legislation that can get through the Senate and avoid a veto.” (The Hill, 7/8/08)

Rep. Nick Lampson (D-TX) Chairman of the Energy and Environment Subcommittee

“[L]egislation to increase domestic energy production, including the opening of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and Outer Continental Shelf, should be a part of the way forward and not blocked from consideration in favor of harmful efforts to stifle production on existing leasing.” (FortBendNow, 7/7/08)

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) Assistant Majority Leader

“A top U.S. Democratic senator said in a newspaper interview published Wednesday that he would consider supporting opening up new areas for offshore oil and gas drilling. ‘I’m open to drilling and responsible production,’ Senate Majority Whip Richard Durbin told The Wall Street Journal, adding that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid could also support the move.” (Reuters, 7/9/08)

Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) Member of the Agriculture Subcommittee on Energy, Science and Technology Jurisdiction

“I think drilling in the United States makes a lot of sense. … I have always supported that. I think it [new oil exploration and drilling off the coast of Florida and off the coast of New Jersey in the Atlantic] needs to be done right.” (Fox News, 7/8/08)

Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA)

“Webb wants his home state to have the right to explore for energy off Virginia’s coast. … ‘We can’t just not act,’ he said. ‘It’s time we had some leadership to really grab the larger picture and solve these problems.’” (The Hill, 6/19/08)

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