[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 75 (Wednesday, May 7, 2008)]
[House]
[Page H3113]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               GAS PRICES

  (Mr. HALL of New York asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. HALL of New York. Mr. Speaker, yesterday the price of oil broke 
another record yet again, closing at over $120. Families feel the 
impact of these costs every time they shell out close to $4 a gallon at 
the pump. In districts like mine, where commuting is a way of life, 
it's forcing some painful sacrifices.
  Our oil dependence has become the energy albatross around America's 
economic neck, and I'm proud that the majority in Congress has advanced 
ideas for short-term relief and long-term solutions. We've pushed for 
higher tax incentives for hybrid cars, expanded the use of renewables 
and efficiency, consumer protection to keep the oil companies honest, 
and a timeout from taking 70 million barrels a day of oil off the 
market and putting it into the strategic petroleum reserve, the SPR.
  What is the response from the President and his allies here in 
Congress? Let's go drill for some more oil that won't hit the markets 
for another 10 years, and let's keep sending more taxpayer dollars to 
the oil companies that are already making record profits.
  Most Americans would agree that we cannot wait a decade for relief 
and we shouldn't send anymore of their money to Big Oil. Let's stop 
filling the SPR to provide immediate relief and ask the President to 
move with us into a green, domestic, job-producing energy future.

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