[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 112 (Wednesday, July 9, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6495-S6497]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                IDAHOANS SPEAK OUT ON HIGH ENERGY PRICES

  Mr. CRAPO. Madam President, in mid-June, I asked Idahoans to share 
with me how high energy prices are affecting their lives, and they 
responded by the hundreds. The stories, numbering over 1,000, are 
heartbreaking and touching. To respect their efforts, I am submitting 
every e-mail sent to me through energy_prices@crapo .senate.gov to the 
Congressional Record. This is not an issue that will be easily 
resolved, but it is one that deserves immediate and serious attention, 
and Idahoans deserve to be heard. Their stories not only detail their 
struggles to meet everyday expenses, but also have suggestions and 
recommendations as to what Congress can do now to tackle this problem 
and find solutions that last beyond today. I ask unanimous consent to 
have today's letters printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

       Senator Crapo, Thank you so much for all you are doing for 
     the citizens in Idaho. Most of all, thank you for your 
     assistance with my disability issues. I would like to share 
     my story. I have been a Registered Nurse for 28 years working 
     fulltime and overtime. In 2005, I developed some heart 
     issues, but, at that time, was able to return to work. In 
     August 2007, the heart condition deteriorated to the point I 
     can now no longer work. I have been denied disability twice 
     thus far. My physician has wanted me to attend cardiac 
     rehabilitation, which we do not have available in Lewiston or 
     Clarkston. The nearest is Moscow, Idaho, 30 miles away. Due 
     to being turned down on disability and the rising cost of 
     gasoline, I can no longer afford to drive to Moscow for the 
     cardiac rehabilitation I need.
       Thank you again. You truly seem to care more about your 
     constituents than any other legislator I have ever 
     encountered. I will be campaigning very strongly for you when 
     the time comes.
     Joy, Lewiston.
                                  ____

       Senator, fuel is a big issue here in Idaho. As a lifelong 
     Republican, I am wondering why, after six years with a 
     Republican President, Senate and House, nothing was done 
     then. What we are seeing now is a result from a lack of 
     activity back then. I watched Bill Gates and the oil company 
     execs totally dominate our Congressional folks. You have 
     authorized spending billions for Iraq, but did nothing to 
     promote hydrogen fuel cell development here. I think you are 
     pandering to the oil companies. It is said that fuel for the 
     hydrogen vehicles would be too hard to dispense. Why not use 
     it for schools where the vehicles could be fueled at the home 
     base? We burn literally hundreds of thousands of gallons of 
     fuel a year just in our local school districts. When you 
     decide to act for the ``real'' future, then we will support 
     you. At this house, Obama is looking better and better every 
     day. Obama has earned his way this far. McCain has no answers 
     other than a few pennies off the gas tax. Get real, Senator.
     Charlie, Caldwell.
                                  ____

       You asked what these fuel prices are doing to us. I live on 
     a fixed income of $650.00 a month, pay $450 a month just for 
     rent. So guess what? By the time you buy food, it is gone and 
     I cannot afford to drive 80 miles a day and make $7.00 an 
     hour. I would spend it all just for gas, but I'm sure 
     everybody else is in the same boat. But thanks for listening 
     to an old man moan. I used to like to go fishing sometimes, 
     but not this year, I guess. Thanks again.
     Marcellus, Rupert.
                                  ____

       Senator Crapo, I would love to share my story with you. I 
     have a small business that takes me out of state a lot. I 
     work on X-ray machines in hospitals around the country. It 
     has gotten to where most hospitals cannot afford to replace 
     their equipment, and my prices are going up due to travel. 
     The higher my prices go, the less work I get due to short 
     budgets, and so on. It has gotten to the point that I only 
     have one job scheduled so far this year. I do not know how I 
     am going to stay in business much longer.
       I cannot understand how Congress can sit on their butts and 
     say we cannot pump our own oil due to environmental concerns 
     while China pumps 50 miles off of our cost. It is time we put 
     the few liberals in their place and start taking care of our 
     own before we have our own revolution, and the people take 
     back our country from the do nothing government. I hope you 
     act fast.
     Todd.
                                  ____

       Mike, Thank you for the opportunity to share my views on 
     the energy crises.
       First of all, I think the ethanol program is the biggest 
     boondoggle the United States has ever supported. It takes 
     almost as much energy to produce a gallon of ethanol as the 
     gallon gives back. It cost more per gallon than gasoline, and 
     gives far fewer miles per gallon than gasoline. It takes the 
     food away from the livestock and poultry that we need to eat, 
     or at least makes the feed for them more expensive. Are we 
     not going backwards here?
       I fully support nuclear energy. It is the only way to go 
     for dependable electrical power generation. Unlike coal and 
     natural gas, there is no fuel to mine or drill for, no 
     transportation cost for that fuel and no air pollution 
     resulting from burning that fuel.
       Wind power electrical generation is a fine resource to 
     pursue. It is very valuable in reducing the electrical load 
     on the base loaded electrical generators. The more we can 
     reduce the load on the base generators, the more energy we 
     save.
       We also need to expand our domestic oil production. We need 
     to drill and get into production, ANWR in northeast Alaska. 
     We need to get this done before Prudoe Bay is depleted so we 
     can utilize the existing Trans-Alaska pipeline. If I recall 
     correctly, that pipeline and all related equipment has to be 
     removed once it becomes inactive.
       While on the subject of Alaska, I understand that some of 
     the contention of the Iraqi people is how to divide up their 
     oil wealth. How about looking at the system the

[[Page S6496]]

     state of Alaska uses to divide up their oil wealth? Every 
     man, women and child receives a check for the same amount as 
     everyone else. The oil fund is inflation-proofed before the 
     amount of the checks is determined. Why do people think they 
     always need to reinvent the wheel? Alaska's system is fair, 
     simple and it works.
       With the profits the oil companies are reporting, I see no 
     need for tax credits for any oil company. If they cannot get 
     done what they need to do with those kinds of profits, the 
     tax credits are not going to make the difference. I really 
     think it is time for the oil companies to be subject to a 
     pricing commission, like the electrical utilities are, only 
     on the federal level. Other commodity producers that produce 
     things that the people of the United States have to have are 
     subject to pricing commissions i.e. Public Utilities 
     Commissions, why not the oil companies? The whole United 
     States would grind to halt and a lot of our population would 
     freeze to death in the winter without oil. I would say that 
     constitutes a need for a product that should be subject to a 
     pricing commission.
     Russ, Payette.
                                  ____

       On a fixed income and maybe only a few years to live due to 
     chronic asthma and advancing COPD, it is already making it 
     hard--doctor appointments, and to go see and help my 93-year-
     old mother. I am 65 and have maybe 2 more years to live. What 
     kind of quality of life can I expect with the price of gas 
     going up so fast that before you can finish filling your car 
     the station attendants are out changing the price of gas? 
     This has happened twice in the last month. I have a 10-gallon 
     tank and get 35 miles to the gallon on a 1988 Toyota Corolla. 
     It takes about three tanks a month for all the running I have 
     to do. It used to cost me $55.00 a month to fill car; now it 
     cost $123.00 a month. If gas goes up to $7.00 a gallon, it 
     will cost $210.00 a month just for gas. What do I do? Do I 
     not eat so I can go to doctor's appointments or do I eat and 
     die sooner because I cannot afford to put gas in my car? 
     Thousands of people are in the same boat as I am--we either 
     forget about health concerns or eating. I knew one lady a few 
     miles from where I live that was shop lifting dog food and 
     eating it just to survive. She has died now, but there is 
     going to be a lot more of this going on. It is a shame that 
     the Congress has not got off their butts and allowed more 
     domestic drilling for oil in our country. We know where the 
     oil is; let us get to drilling and tell the oil cartels to 
     stuff it where the sun does not shine. Something else I do 
     not understand is, the other day we drove to Salt Lake City 
     and the refineries were not even working, there was no steam 
     or smoke coming from the cracking towers. Come on--get this 
     mess worked out. We are going to start dropping like sprayed 
     flies out here if Congress does not do something.
     Russell, Heyburn.
                                  ____

       Senator Crapo, A year ago I was spending around $85 a month 
     for fuel; now my monthly costs are twice that! Thirty percent 
     of the current cost for oil is due to speculation in the 
     unregulated Wall Street venue; the Enron Loophole from 2001 
     allows this!! First, fix this problem! Next, higher fuel 
     mileage per gallon in a shorter period of time needs to be 
     mandated!! Third, a major emphasis on alternative renewable 
     fuels; not more drilling in our country or off shore for oil 
     and gas; including blowing the tops off of mountains for 
     coal!! In addition, no more nuclear reactors as they use too 
     much water and generate radioactive waste that lasts for 
     hundreds of years!! We can do this and most Idahoans and 
     Americans are demanding such a plan from our government 
     leadership! Brazil did it in five years and are we any less 
     capable than they are? I think not! You Republicans, 
     especially, are under too much influence by the oil, gas 
     and coal companies to continue doing business as usual!! 
     We need truly green changes in our country, not more of 
     the same.
     Joy, Hayden.
                                  ____

       I, like most Americans, have been affected by the rising 
     fuel prices. My budget cannot sustain the $60 per tank cost 
     to fill my car with gas. Instead of sitting back and 
     complaining about high gas prices, I have chosen to find 
     alternate forms of transportation whenever possible. I ride 
     my bicycle to work every day, and use the public 
     transportation and carpooling whenever possible for longer 
     trips. When I am conscious of my transportation choices, I 
     can make a tank of gas last a month.
       Our country needs to step up and take responsibility for 
     our energy choices. We need to become less dependent on 
     foreign oil, yes; but we need to do so by changing the root 
     of the problem instead of implementing a temporary band-aid 
     on our problems by drilling for oil in our country's pristine 
     and sensitive environmental areas. We need to concentrate our 
     resources on developing cleaner energy rather than looking 
     for ways to sustain our irresponsible use of energy. Better 
     public transportation options, fuel conservation incentives, 
     and increased research and investment in cleaner energy are 
     the sustainable answers. Drilling in ANWR is not. The change 
     will be a bit painful in the short term, but we need to have 
     the foresight as a country to understand that long term 
     solutions are the right ones.
       Sincerely,
     Ross.
                                  ____

       My son-in-law works for a large gas station corporation, 
     routing trucks to different stations and flies almost weekly 
     to Houston and Atlanta and says THERE IS NO GAS SHORTAGE, 
     just manipulation. Please tell people the truth about the oil 
     and gas reserves we could have available (example: South 
     Dakota, etc.). Our story personally: We live in a rural area, 
     13 miles from the nearest town and 2 hours from a city big 
     enough to purchase from larger retailers. Our fuel cost is 
     $35.00 to go to WalMart, round trip! We recently purchased an 
     economy car (that we couldn't really afford), and now the 
     trip will cost around $20. This is if fuel stays at $4. Our 
     daughter has Prader-Willi Syndrome, and we travel 2-4-8 hours 
     one way for medical appointments about eight times a year. We 
     do not feel the ten cents a mile from Medicaid is worth the 
     hassle for reimbursement. We are drowning in fuel extortion 
     costs. Must we be forced to move from a rural setting to the 
     city? Please help.
     Margaret.
                                  ____

       Senator Crapo, I want to thank you for taking the 
     initiative on helping Idahoans with the increasing energy 
     costs. I am fortunate enough to only have a two-mile commute 
     to and from work, but I have still noticed a considerable 
     change in the fuel cost's impact on my finances.
       I was recently in Salt Lake City where I stopped at a gas 
     station to fill up. I noticed a different-looking pump there 
     which said ``natural gas'' on it. I had never seen such an 
     option at a fueling station before. Just as I was in awe at 
     the different option, a gentleman drove up in a vehicle and 
     began filling up with this natural gas pump. I struck up a 
     conversation with this man and discovered that natural gas is 
     a growing phenomenon in vehicles there in the Salt Lake City 
     area. The car prices are very similar to those of petroleum 
     fueled vehicles, but the cost of natural gas was about 63 
     cents per gallon versus the $4 I was paying. This experience, 
     of course, made me consider other fueling options.
       I know that there are many alternatives to using gasoline 
     to power vehicles such as natural gas, electric, water, and 
     others. Granted, some of these options are not feasible to 
     implement in Idaho. Is it possible to make natural gas an 
     option in this area? I do not know if it is legislation that 
     drives such changes, but I, for one, am ready for some 
     feasible alternatives. I am considering getting a Segue or a 
     GEM (global electric motorcar) as an alternative to relying 
     upon gas powered vehicles. I would appreciate any help in 
     this area, or other incentives to alternative power options 
     for the home. Thank you again for your help on our behalf. 
     Let me know if I can help in any other way.
     Seth.
                                  ____

       Dear Senator Crapo: Regarding energy prices. We drive less, 
     plan our trips to town with lists, etc. so we know exactly 
     where we are going and in what order to make our trips more 
     efficient. We will not be taking a vacation this year. We 
     will be forced to sell (or give away) our livestock because 
     we cannot afford to pay the price of hay to sustain them over 
     the winter. We will have to buy a different furnace as our 
     current one is oil, or turn down the heat to 55 degrees most 
     of the winter and bundle up (which is what we did last 
     winter).
       I do not like government intervention, but some tax credits 
     for alternative energy sources would be nice--credits for 
     wind power, solar power; both of which are in plentiful 
     supply in Idaho. The state government could do a lot to 
     encourage alternative energy sources as well. We all agree 
     that we need to use alternatives, but no one wants a wind 
     generator in their neighborhood. What is wrong with us? Can 
     we not see the future benefits versus our temporary eye 
     appeal?
       Also, the government could give some large tax incentives 
     to encourage recycling of plastics, which to my 
     understanding, use over twice the percentage of our oil 
     imports than the manufacture of gasoline. In Texas, the Texas 
     Disposal Company has a recycling center set up in a lot next 
     to the local post office in Alpine (population 6,500) every 
     Saturday. They take all kinds of newspaper, magazines, junk 
     mail, plastics, metal cans, etc. There was even a man who 
     brought his pickup truck down every week to collect glass for 
     recycling. The cost of transporting all of this recycling in 
     Texas would be greater than in Idaho, so why cannot we do 
     that here? Or nationwide?
       I noticed in Costco the last few weeks that each swimsuit 
     is set up on these clear plastic molded sheets, which are 
     then stacked one on top of the other. We are overusing 
     plastic! All of this ends up as waste in our landfills. 
     Encouraging a national recycling program would do many 
     positive things, less oil imports would be the biggest and 
     then less waste in our landfills, a huge concern as well.
       Seems to me that recycling and a greater usage of 
     alternative energy sources is something that Republicans and 
     Democrats, conservatives and liberals could and should agree 
     upon.
       Sincerely,
     Lisa.
                                  ____

       I have four children, and my husband and I have good-paying 
     jobs, probably better than most. We have a low debt load, 
     have stayed away from credit cards and buy things when we 
     have the money. We have never had a vacation in the 24 years 
     that we've been married because we had other places that 
     money needed to go.

[[Page S6497]]

       Now, even though we have stayed out of debt and only have 
     $3,000.00 left to pay on our car, we are afraid. Food prices 
     have risen so that last year, my family of six was eating and 
     maintaining a household on $300.00 per week, and that 
     included gas for the drive my husband has to work. That 
     budget has now increased to $500.00 per week.
       My son, a second-year electrical engineering student at 
     ISU, may not be able to go back to college this year because 
     the gas to get there is just too much on top of the increased 
     cost of tuition. My daughter, a senior this year, cannot get 
     a job because the cost of driving to work would eat up her 
     minimum wage paycheck.
       Those of us who work hard, stay out of debt and invest our 
     money in the American way of life are now told to move our 
     money away from U.S. investments and go elsewhere where the 
     economy is more stable, but what does that say about the 
     country that we live in? We do not feel secure, we do not 
     feel safe and we do not feel any comfort in the Senate, 
     Congress or the Presidency. This is summer; when the demand 
     for fuel goes up in the winter and we do not have enough 
     money to pay for gas to go to work, let alone food for our 
     children to eat, how are we going to keep warm or live? This 
     winter, I think this country is going to see many people 
     pushed to the brink of chaos because there is no other 
     choice. Oil needs to be taken off the speculation market. 
     This doesn't just affect our way of life here in the U.S.; it 
     is also affecting world markets and food prices around the 
     globe.
     D.S., Rigby.

                          ____________________