[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 130 (Friday, August 1, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1694]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              ENERGY COSTS

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                        HON. HENRY E. BROWN, JR.

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, August 1, 2008

  Mr. BROWN of South Carolina. Madam Speaker, today the House leaves on 
its 5 week vacation just like we do every year. Generally we are joined 
by millions of American families as they get out of town before the 
start of the school year, but this year things are different. While we 
are still leaving Washington, more of these families than ever before 
are staying home, prevented from visiting places like the beaches and 
historic sites in my district because of rising energy costs. But we 
aren't doing anything about it.
  And when school starts up again, students are going to see activities 
cut back because their school districts are having to move money from 
these important programs just to keep running their school buses. High 
energy costs are having a dramatic impact on every part of our society. 
But Congress is failing to address them.
  Today, news came out that American employers shed some 51,000 jobs 
last month, and for so many companies, the burden of high energy prices 
are behind so many of these job losses. From steel mills to fertilizer 
plants and delivery services, I could list countless businesses that 
use energy not only to keep the lights on but as the fuel for getting 
their job done. And record high energy prices are fighting their best 
efforts to grow our economy. But we can't even have a vote on accessing 
more American energy.
  Madam Speaker, I want to take a moment to highlight some of these 
businesses being impacted by today's high energy prices. I represent a 
coastal district where many of my constituents make their living on the 
water. The heart of my district are its shrimpers, tour boat operators, 
recreational and commercial fishermen.
  However, many of these hard-working residents of coastal South 
Carolina cannot even afford to take their boats on the water anymore 
because of all-time record high prices for fuel. Shrimpers must catch 
700 pounds a day just to fuel their boats--I can assure you, this is 
not a small catch.
  Before Speaker Pelosi ``saves the planet'' here in Washington, DC, 
perhaps she can come down to Charleston or McClellanville in South 
Carolina and explain to the these hard-working men and women why she is 
refusing to schedule a vote to increase domestic energy production and 
lower the cost of their diesel fuel to allow them to get back on the 
water. Their struggles are not a hoax.
  Madam Speaker, we currently depend on foreign and in many cases 
unfriendly nations for over 60 percent of our Nation's energy needs. 
This is a serious national security concern for my constituents in 
coastal South Carolina that is only getting worse. It is sad to see 
that every other country in the world views its energy resources as a 
strategic asset; in the United States we have come to view ours as an 
environmental liability.
  Madam Speaker, this week I was proud to join with a group of 
Republicans and Democrats to introduce legislation that was written 
together that would allow us to start domestic energy production while 
also investing in many types of renewable energy. When will we get a 
vote on the bipartisan National Environment, Conservation and Energy 
Independence Act or any of the other pieces of legislation that offer 
an ``all of the above'' solution to our energy crisis?
  While we may leave Washington today, we cannot leave our 
responsibility to address this issue for the American people.

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