[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 12088]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                      THE RIGHT APPROACH TO ENERGY

  (Mr. STEARNS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, today Californians are experiencing rolling 
blackouts, rising energy costs and out-of-control gasoline prices. I 
fear that this will happen in the other States if we are not careful. 
The solution to our current energy crisis is simple, choice and 
competition, not more regulation and price controls like the discharge 
petition that the Democrats are talking about.
  Governor Davis, with the support of environmentalists and government 
control advocates, raised barriers and actively sought to prohibit the 
construction of new power plants. Now the Democrats in Washington want 
to make the Gray Davis approach to energy the national approach to our 
energy here in Washington.
  Mr. Speaker, it is clear what the results will be if they achieve 
their goal. What is happening in California will happen in the rest of 
the country. Blackouts will roll from California all of the way to the 
eastern seaboard. From family to farmer, all Americans will be 
affected. We do not want this to happen.
  We need to have choice and competition. Let there not be a 
reoccurrence. Let us take the right approach to energy, and work to 
increase production, reduce regulation and encourage conservation.




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