[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Page 7063]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  RECOGNITION OF THE REPUBLICAN LEADER

  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Republican leader is 
recognized.


                               GAS PRICES

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, as we all know, the Senate voted 
unanimously last night to proceed to the FAA bill, despite the fact, as 
the majority leader indicated, at the time we voted, we had not yet 
received the Senate substitute. We did have a chance to receive it 
overnight and will now review it before proceeding. We can talk again 
after the respective policy lunches, at midday today, about that. It is 
my expectation when we do get on the bill that we, indeed, allow 
amendments. The majority leader has indicated that is his intention. 
Many on our side would like to offer amendments and there will be 
debate on this bill.
  I would also like to point out that while the FAA is an important 
agency, the No. 1 issue for Americans right now, and their greater 
concern, is the price of gas at the pump. The price of gasoline has 
jumped by more than $1.25 a gallon since the beginning of the current 
Congress. The cost of oil has nearly tripled to $120 a barrel now. 
According to the AAA, the average price of a gallon of gas in Kentucky 
is $3.58, the highest ever. I was happy to read the majority has tasked 
their chairman to come up with ideas to work on this issue, but I fear 
the answer that comes back will be the same two-word prescription that 
has been offered in the past--higher taxes.
  But higher taxes will only raise the price at the pump, not lower it. 
So while we move forward on the FAA bill, the Senate should not forget 
what Americans are most concerned about, the dramatic increase in pain 
at the pump over the last year. We should be able to stipulate at the 
outset that raising taxes as a way of addressing the problem is not 
even worth serious consideration.
  I yield the floor.

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