[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 85 (Wednesday, May 23, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H5627]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   DEMOCRATS WORKING TO ESTABLISH A NEW, SMART AND FAIR ENERGY POLICY

  (Mr. SARBANES asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SARBANES. Mr. Speaker, as Americans across the country begin 
planning their summer vacations, one major constraint they will have to 
face is the severely high price of gas. We are once again seeing record 
gas prices this Memorial Day, making the prospect of travel daunting 
for many families. Why is this trend continuing? For 6 years, President 
Bush and the Republican Congress failed to enact a comprehensive energy 
strategy to provide relief from these skyrocketing costs.
  This Democratic Congress is ready to act and move our Nation in a new 
direction on energy. Already we have voted to roll back billions of 
dollars in subsidies to Big Oil and instead reinvest those funds in 
renewable energy. And now this week we will take up the issue of price 
gouging by the oil industry. We have seen the first quarter reports. 
The oil companies are making record profits, and it is time they were 
held accountable.
  Mr. Speaker, this Democratic Congress will work hard to pass 
legislation that can establish a new, smart, and fair energy policy for 
the American people.

                          ____________________