While the financial crisis is pretty serious, the answer is not to take our eyes of the prize when it comes to increasing domestic energy production. We absolutely can not afford Pelosi's tax-and-spend liberal ideas keeping us handcuffed to foreign oil when we have a real chance to break the shackles and declare energy independence.
Just yesterday, Republican Leader, my Congressman and a Great American -- John Boehner -- had this to say on this very subject:
“Today’s historic price spike is a sharp reminder that the current discussion on Capitol Hill over Secretary Paulson’s economic rescue plan does not absolve this Democratic Congress of its obligation to help enact the comprehensive energy reforms our economy desperately needs. Families, seniors, and small businesses across America are feeling the pain each and every time they fill up at the pump, and today’s price increase will only make that pain more intense in the days and weeks to come.Boehner is right. We simply can not afford Pelosi's agenda at this time. We need to: Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less.
“This news also underscores how utterly irresponsible the House Democrats’ continuing resolution appropriations ‘discussion draft’ is for including phony ‘drilling’ language that would permanently lock up some of our nation’s most important energy resources. Lifting the outdated bans on energy production in the Outer Continental Shelf and the Inter-Mountain West’s oil shale reserves are key elements of an ‘all of the above’ energy plan to lower gas prices and would send a clear signal to the rest of the world that America is finally getting serious about taking control of its own energy destiny. Democrats should start listening to the American people by joining Republicans in lifting these bans so we can begin to increase American energy production and ultimately lower gas prices for working families, seniors, and small businesses.”
