[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 10]
[House]
[Page 13421]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            NO MORE EXCUSES

  (Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I stand to talk to the 
American people today. The American people are hurting. Young families 
are hurting, senior adults are hurting, those that are on fixed incomes 
are hurting, small businesses are hurting, all because we don't have an 
energy policy that actually includes energy. Let me tell you about one 
such person.
  Over the weekend I met with a young family. The gentleman's name was 
Vern Long from Jefferson City, Tennessee. Vern told me he makes $8 an 
hour. He has to drive to work to Knoxville, Tennessee. It costs him $90 
a week to drive to work. Vern told me that he may not be able to 
continue working; he may have to go on welfare, because we don't have 
an energy policy that has American energy.
  This has to stop. It is time for no more excuses. Vern doesn't want 
to go on welfare. Vern is a United States veteran. He spent time in 
Iraq. We owe people like Vern Long a better future for he and his 
family. We need an energy policy that uses American energy now.
  No more excuses. It is time for us to pass a policy where we drill 
for American oil, natural gas, and use clean coal technology. The time 
is now. No more excuses.

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