[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 112 (Wednesday, July 9, 2008)]
[House]
[Page H6236]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             DEMOCRATIC SOLUTIONS ARE NEEDED FOR OIL CRISIS

  (Mr. COURTNEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, yesterday on the ``Lee Elci Show,'' in New 
London, Connecticut, Bill from Groton called in while I was on and 
informed us that to lock in for next winter in Connecticut, it costs 
now $5.80 a gallon.
  Mr. Speaker, we've heard a lot about the hardship of high gas prices. 
If home heating oil stays at those levels, there will be a catastrophe 
this winter in terms of keeping people alive because they cannot afford 
those prices. All of the proposals we've heard from the other side are 
going to take 20 years, even if it goes perfectly according to plan. 
People need relief now.
  President Bush, with one stroke of the pen, could release oil from 
the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. We would have more oil into the market 
in 13 days. That's the type of short-term relief that consumers, 
particularly in the northern parts of this country, need if they are 
going to survive this winter.
  We doubled the size of energy assistance in the Democratic budget. 
The Bush plan would have cut energy assistance incredibly given the 
fact that these prices are going through the roof. We need Democratic 
priorities to provide short-term relief and long-term solutions for the 
American consumer.

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