[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 11229]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     THE NEED FOR AN ENERGY POLICY

  (Mr. COLE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss the greatest threat to 
the economic recovery now under way, rising energy prices. Since 2001, 
the price for a gallon of gasoline has increased by 52 percent, U.S. 
oil imports have increased by more than 10 percent, the cost of natural 
gas by more than 92 percent; and Alan Greenspan has repeatedly 
testified that energy prices are the single greatest threat to job 
creation.
  Mr. Speaker, to meet our growing needs and address these rising 
energy prices, this House has passed comprehensive energy legislation 
three times. All three times it has been blocked through legislative 
obstruction in the other body. This obstruction hurts America. To 
oppose the President's comprehensive energy legislation while calling 
for more domestic energy production and lower gasoline prices is 
hypocritical beyond belief.
  Mr. Speaker, for too long America has relied on other nations to 
provide the raw materials for our energy needs. It is time for us to 
move towards self-reliance so we are not susceptible to the threats, 
blackmail, and production fluctuations from abroad. The Congress must 
move forward with a responsible energy policy. Voting ``no'' for the 
energy bill is not an energy plan for America.

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