[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 58 (Wednesday, May 1, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H4308-H4309]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1130
                   RISING OIL PRICES AND OIL EXPORTS

  (Mr. METCALF asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. METCALF. Mr. Speaker, the President of the United States 
yesterday released oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in an 
effort to counter inflating gas prices. But last Friday President 
Clinton lifted the ban on exporting oil from Alaska. At a time when gas 
prices are soaring, he chose to sell United States gasoline to Asian 
nations instead of to American citizens.
  The ban on exporting oil from Alaska was part of an agreement that 
allowed the building of the pipeline that supplies the United States. 
As we face soaring oil prices at home, we are preparing to reduce 
domestic supplies of oil by shipping it overseas.
  Mr. Speaker, the President's decisions contradict each other. He is 
opening the Strategic Petroleum Reserves to lower the price of oil at 
the same time he prepares to expand shipments of American oil to 
foreign consumers. He is making the problem worse than it needs to be. 
The American public is paying the bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I would say to the President, ``Mr. President, will you 
please try to be consistent?''

[[Page H4309]]



            PUT FAMILIES FIRST RATHER THAN SPECIAL INTERESTS

  (Ms. DeLAURO asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. DeLAURO Mr. Speaker, House Republicans continue to work overtime 
on behalf of the special interests rather than the hard-working 
families who need our help.
  Look at health care reform. House Republicans are insisting on a bad 
idea rejected by the Senate: Tax shelters to help the rich pay their 
medical bills. Giving tax breaks to the healthy and the wealthy could 
doom the type of health reform that working families need.
  These health care tax breaks hurt working families. They will expose 
millions of families to increased health care costs. Estimates say that 
health care premiums will rise as much as 60 percent.
  Once again, I urge the House Republican leadership to reject these 
tax breaks for the wealthy. Simply adopt the Senate bill which 
President Clinton has said he will sign and which puts families first, 
rather than special interests. That is what we need, health care relief 
for working families in this Nation.

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