[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Pages 15503-15504]
[From the U.S. 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:

       Thanks for your stand. I believe you have it exactly right. 
     I sent you an e-mail a month ago with some of my thoughts, 
     but here are a few more. I work in the distribution business. 
     With the cost of diesel almost $5, it is inflating the cost 
     of all our products. We have already had increases the when 
     printed are the size of a phone book. We are seeing a big 
     slow down in our business that is directly related to the 
     cost of fuel. It has a domino effect in that our customers 
     are cutting back because the average business and home owner 
     does not have extra money to spend because it is all going to 
     fuel. If it gets any higher I see it destroying our economy. 
     There will be an ever increasing slowdown in the economy as 
     everyone cuts back more and more. Thanks for your hard work.
     Dennis, Meridian
                                  ____

       It is time the Congress and Senate quit looking for stories 
     and do something! America needs to be independent from 
     foreign oil and energy. We need an energy bill brought before 
     President Bush before [a new President is elected]. Items 
     that need addressed: domestic construction of nuclear power, 
     clean use of coal, renewable energy resources, construction 
     of new clean technology, oil refineries, renewed domestic 
     production of oil, legislation that would hold those 
     accountable for hindering achieving these goals by crying 
     about ``not in my backyard.'' [Such] people are a threat to 
     our national security. Where is this legislation you claim to 
     strongly support?
       Mr. Crapo, I am 39 years old. I have worked hard and look 
     forward to being able to achieve a comfortable life in 
     retirement. I am afraid that our country is going in a 
     direction where that will be the least of my concerns. It 
     costs me over $5 a day to get to work, and I live less than 
     15 miles from work. With what those of you in Washington are 
     currently doing, prices will only worsen. [The] negligence in 
     previously addressing these needs has brought our nation to 
     its current economic distress. You can't just support issues; 
     you need to take the lead in promoting new policies.
       Give me something to judge you by your actions.
     Rob.
                                  ____

       Senator, Nightly, I listen to a number of pundits and 
     politicos debate the ``solutions'' to our energy problems. 
     One of the more ridiculous ones is mandating people switch to 
     higher fuel efficiency automobiles (i.e., buy a new car). As 
     a small business owner, our health insurance premiums have 
     just gone up (again), the minimum wage has risen, grocery 
     costs are rising and our 401k is diminishing. The very 
     thought of anyone in Congress telling me I have to replace my 
     ``paid for'' cars, and take out a loan to buy a new (more 
     energy efficient) car is ludicrous!! Gasoline would have to 
     be over $10 a gallon to make economic sense to my family, in 
     lieu of absorbing a car payment.
       I support drilling offshore and in ANWR, as well as shale 
     oil extraction. I think it is time that the world's most 
     technologically-advanced nation illustrate to the world the 
     most technologically-advanced means of extracting energy. I 
     am deeply offended that the United States government, who 
     cannot profitably manage Amtrak, the U.S. Postal Service, or 
     even its own Senate cafeteria, has the audacity to pretend to 
     convince me that they know more about ``safe and sound'' 
     energy extraction than the companies that are professionals 
     in this endeavor. I hear people crying about how drilling in 
     the U.S. might ``spoil national resources''! I would be 
     willing to wager that if we were not dependent upon Middle 
     Eastern oil, we could have, most likely, saved about 4,000 
     U.S. servicemen and women's lives. That cost of natural 
     resource is infinitely greater than a handful of caribou!
           Respectfully,
     Daniel, Boise.
                                  ____

       Thank you for your time. I am on Social Security and 
     believe me, if I could work, I would. But I cannot. So, as a 
     person who is now on the bottom half of an almost pretend 
     income, it took more over $800 last year for hearing, not 
     including the $356 that is all I need for help. I personally 
     would love to have a new pair of teeth; the ones I have are 
     broken and pretty useless. But can I even save to get a pair 
     of teeth? I am weighing in at 101 pounds, because all of my 
     money goes to propane and forget about going anywhere. My gas 
     budget only allows me to go to doctors, and then I go to the 
     store. I worked until I got hurt. I raised four children. 
     They all work every day, and their wives and husband. I 
     taught my children to always be kind, helpful and to be good 
     people. I am sick of paying money to places that have every 
     want to kill us. What did happen to our rights, and why are 
     you not all fighting harder. Even the money we use has been 
     allowed to be changed. What is wrong with the people in 
     power? I live off $6,000 a year and have no rights. What is 
     wrong? Thank you.
     Marylynna.
                                  ____

       I am unhappy with the spin stories that the media tries to 
     share that our prices are not comparable to those in Europe. 
     They forget to tell everyone that the taxes on their gas 
     prices are 1/3 to 1/2 the price per gallon. Our taxes are not 
     unreasonable right now, but the price per gallon is. We are 
     rural residents and must drive to work. Our income has 
     changed radically in the past 2 years and leaves us with no 
     money to spare for the extra gas cost. We pay our own 
     insurance and that has just taken a 25% premium hike. My 
     parents live in St. George, Utah, and that makes the cost of 
     travel even more of a concern. They are 80 and 75 and 
     presently independent of any special care needs, but the cost 
     of heating/ac and travel will be a burden for them and the 
     family as well. I believe in taking action on the 
     possibilities of drilling for oil at home, nuclear energy, 
     and coal use. I am so sick and tired of the environmental nut 
     cases taking over our country and without logic, locking us 
     into unrealistic laws, taxes, and restrictions that make the 
     U.S.A. weak and unprepared for things that will leave us at 
     the mercy of even greater issues than gas prices. I 
     appreciate your information and concern. I hope you can bring 
     some sense to your fellow Senators. Thank you.
     Susan, Rexburg.
                                  ____

       Thank you for your e-mail. Yes, we agree these prices are 
     out of control. Why are we not drilling in our own country? I 
     cannot believe the environmentalists have such control of 
     this. There must be more to this than we hear about. Is there 
     anything coming up before Congress to be able to start being 
     a self-sufficient country with our energy? All these studies 
     and research for alternative fuel are a waste of time and 
     money. We have plenty of oil right here. We as citizens of 
     Idaho are counting on you and our other Congressmen to get 
     moving on this problem!!!!! Please let me know what is 
     happening on this subject and why the prices are out of 
     control. Our dependency on other countries can sink us. 
     Please do something!!!!!!!!!!!!!
     Gard and Jerrie.
                                  ____

       In your second paragraph you parsed your comment by saying 
     ``proven American oil and gas reserves.'' Does that mean that 
     you do not support further exploration for unproven or 
     unknown reserves? Thank you.
     Pat.
                                  ____

       My husband and I are Idaho residents, and are retired with 
     limited income because all we basically have for income is 
     our individual Social Security and my pension, which is small 
     through the company I retired from--Albertson's corporate 
     office previously in Boise.
       My primary health insurance is with Medicare, and I do have 
     a secondary retiree insurance through Blue Cross/Blue Shield 
     of Minn. (Supervalu). Unfortunately, since Medicare pays 80%, 
     Blue Cross will not pay the balance (it's a carved policy) 
     until I meet the annual max of $2,500 per year out-of-pocket. 
     My monthly cost is $263.90 with a $500 deductible. To top it 
     off, Supervalu cancelled all dental and vision coverage on 
     retirees that I previously had with Albertson's. Fortunately, 
     my husband is a disabled veteran with a 10% disability with 
     diabetes, so he can get a lot of help through the VA.
       We have wintered in Mesa, Arizona, for the past five years. 
     We do have a 38-foot Class A motor home that we have 
     travelled back and forth in, but feel because of the high gas 
     prices, we may be forced to sell. We do still owe on it, so 
     probably is not the best time to sell.
       I am going to try to find work when I return to Mesa this 
     fall, but I am also 69 years old, so this might be difficult.
       The high gas prices are not only hurting people who have to 
     work and maybe travel a distance like a lot of people 
     employed in Boise that live in Meridian, Nampa, Caldwell or 
     even Emmett or Mountain Home. I remember working with some of 
     these people. A lot of them carpooled then, but also the 
     retired people like me and others who have worked hard all 
     these years looking forward to our retirement years to 
     hopefully afford to do some travelling let alone trying to 
     exist from month to month.

[[Page 15504]]

       We would appreciate anything you can do to help bring down 
     gas prices. We do drive a Honda CRV, which helps some with 
     mileage, but we are making monthly payments on it too.
           Sincerely,
     Avlin, Boise.
                                  ____

       What we need to do is drop the tariffs on ethanol imports-
     particularly from Brazil. Our government-sponsored corn-
     ethanol push is a bad idea and should be halted immediately.
           Sincerely,
     Will.
                                  ____

       On a Sunday Fox News program, Senator Dorgan stated that 
     the commodity oil speculators are the blame for the rising 
     costs of gas. The oil industries profits were 7.45%; 
     industrials, 8.2%; the commodity (money vultures), pensions 
     hedge funds, Dubai and others, 80%.
       On June 3, 2008, the Senate Commerce Committee held a 
     hearing. Suggest you get a copy.
       Mr. Greenberger (one of the witnesses) testified that 
     Congress, by revising the law on December 15, 1999, is the 
     cause of the problem. He stated that Congress can fix the 
     problem immediately to cause oil prices to drop 25%.
       As of today (June 16, 2008), Congress has not acted. 
     [Congress must act to correct the problem; we should be able 
     to start pumping our own oil. It is not acceptable that we 
     cannot use our own nation's resources like ANWR.]
     Jon.
                                  ____

       I think $200 a month is very conservative. To fill most 
     tanks, it is $100 plus. People are not able to take vacations 
     as they planned. People will have to stay right at home more. 
     The only way to really help us is to drill and open up capped 
     wells in the U.S. Yes, if we drill it will take awhile to get 
     things to market, but we have to start some time. Had we shut 
     the environmentalists down ten years ago, these new wells 
     would be producing now and in our tanks. Please don't keep 
     putting this off. Middle east, Argentina, Mexico could cut us 
     off any time they want. Drill our own wells, uncap the ones 
     that are already here. Shut down environmentalist extremists!
           Thank you.
     Kaye, Idaho Falls.
                                  ____

       We have not taken trips to Boise or Stanley Basin to visit 
     family on the weekends or holidays. $100 in gas is just 
     beyond our budget. We also have not utilized our motor home 
     for anything except a trip to the South Hills to go tubing in 
     over a year.
       Basically, it has limited our recreation and family travel.
       We also have cut back on eating out. We are waiting for our 
     tax rebate in order to take a much-needed vacation somewhere 
     and when we do, it will be close by, IN Idaho.
       We do not drive our truck except to haul stuff to the dump.
     Kayla.
                                  ____

       This probably does not fit your agenda, but actually 
     gasoline prices have been a lot worse. I paid a much higher 
     percentage of my income when I was stationed overseas. The 
     Energy Information Administration says we were reaching much 
     deeper into our pockets to pay for gasoline in 1980 than last 
     year. The real difference is that today's money buys less 
     value. So the best way the government can keep gasoline 
     affordable is to stop creating inflation. The next thing you 
     do is require automobile makers to deliver cars that get 
     better mileage. USA cars need to be more competitive.
     James.
                                  ____

       Drill here, drill now.
     William.
                                  ____

       Reference the high cost of energy, I expect you to vote to 
     release the vast reserves of oil and other energy sources 
     held hostage under the land masses in the United States that 
     are ``protected'' by environmental minorities and their 
     monetary vote-buying policies.
       The energy crisis is manipulation, when our abundant 
     supplies are made available, supply and demand will suddenly 
     bring prices to a livable level.
       Until these changes taken place, our country and its place 
     as a world power are threatened.
       This fuel crisis has already reached a critical point as 
     you know. Our nation cannot support itself, let alone the 
     many countries in the world, when its people are living in a 
     state of economic slavery.
       Do the right thing and stand for the people that keep this 
     great country free.
     Lyle.
                                  ____

       I agree with your positions on energy and believe strongly 
     that we need to stop exporting our national wealth and 
     financial security to the Middle East. We need to develop a 
     strong nuclear program and provide financial incentives to 
     consumers and businesses to select more fuel efficient 
     options for their cars and heating needs. We also need to 
     gradually but steadily increase a tax on gasoline that will 
     be used for public transportation as the Europeans have done 
     for decades. We Americans subsidize roads too heavily at the 
     expense of other modes of transportation and our government 
     agencies who focus on transportation do not work together. 
     For instance, in the Wood River Valley, the planning for the 
     highway, bus services, airport relocation and light rail 
     connections to the airport, Twin, and Amtrak in Shoshone 
     should be done cohesively, and with long term (50+) year 
     horizon rather than by separate agencies with no budget 
     sharing possibilities.
     Joan, Sun Valley.
                                  ____

       Thank you for your letter regarding the high prices of gas 
     and oil. I absolutely agree that many things need to be done 
     to lower the prices. You mentioned many things, but action 
     needs to be taken now in all areas you mentioned.
       My husband and I are retired so we do not need to drive as 
     much as others, but we have very little possibility of having 
     an increase in our income to compensate for the high gas 
     prices. We do, however, buy things that are affected by the 
     rising prices in everything. Please take some action and 
     report that to us.
       One thing you did not mention is the war situation in Iraq. 
     If we need to stay for some time because the country needs 
     us, they should be paying for our help with their oil 
     revenues.
     Ellen.
                                  ____

       In response to your request for the Idaho experience re 
     gasoline prices: My wife and I are recently retired as state 
     of Idaho employees. As such, our income is now set and we no 
     longer can anticipate even the miniscule raises sometimes 
     provided by the state. As retirees we are certainly not 
     unique in that regard, but we share with other retirees the 
     inability to absorb the rapid and unjustified escalation of 
     energy costs. We are fortunate to enjoy a comfortable home, 
     although still with a mortgage. Because of the unjustified 
     escalation of gasoline prices, we now find ourselves limiting 
     our trips from home for shopping, medical appointments, 
     visiting family, and just getting out of the house, to no 
     more than twice a week. Those trips are carefully planned to 
     incorporate as many needs as possible. Trips from home are 
     now made for necessity. No longer do we enjoy the freedom to 
     hop in the car for a ``frivolous'' jaunt. We now frequently 
     forego fresh produce because of increased prices ostensibly 
     the result of higher transportation costs. We purchase store 
     brands in lieu of name brands. Dining out is now a true 
     luxury and even then we often will order one meal and split 
     it between ourselves. Clothes are sparingly purchased at 
     store sales, and even thrift outlets.
       As said above, we realize we are not unique in our 
     circumstance. We understand that there is a seemingly 
     acceptable inflationary scheme. But the inaction by Congress 
     to adopt a meaningful energy policy requires this nation to 
     rely on our enemies for our energy needs. It has also allowed 
     the greed of commodity speculation to exacerbate an 
     inordinate rise in prices to such an extent that even the 
     Saudi's question its validity.
       We categorically support a meaningful energy policy . . . 
     one which eliminates detrimental environmental restrictions . 
     . . realistic conservation . . . using our own oil reserves 
     (ANWR, shale, offshore drilling), nuclear, wind, solar power 
     . . . and build some refineries. Equally important, identify 
     [those who are preventing commonsense policies from being 
     undertaken]. It is time that those we have sent to 
     Washington, D.C. do what they have been elected to do. Too 
     many of us feel that this is not happening now and has not 
     happened for far too long. Please share these comments with 
     the rest of the Idaho delegation. Thanks for the opportunity 
     to express our thoughts.
     Fred and Sandy, Meridian.

                          ____________________