[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 8]
[House]
[Page 11286]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            GAS PRICES/TAXES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Donnelly). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Broun) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. BROUN of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, the American people are sick and 
tired of high gas prices, high taxes and unnecessary regulation on our 
lands. As an ardent capitalist, I believe that the marketplace, 
unencumbered by government regulation, by high taxes, is the best way 
to control quality, quantity and cost of all goods and services.
  The price of gasoline is not immune to market forces. Cutting taxes 
and reining in the Federal Government is fundamental to returning power 
to the U.S. citizens, and to promote economic growth. We should support 
our free market by eliminating unnecessary regulation, unfair taxes, 
and promoting the economic growth that we so desperately need. I say, 
heavy taxation is bad representation.
  Speaker Pelosi promised to lower energy prices at the beginning of 
the 110th Congress. Yet, today the average price of gasoline has gone 
up $1.65 per gallon, a nearly 71 percent increase. The Pelosi premium 
is now costing the average American $3.98 per gallon of gasoline. And 
in my district, the 10th Congressional District in Georgia, it's over 
$4 a gallon.
  Congressional Democrats talk about our addiction to foreign oil, yet 
they refuse to allow access to American oil and our gas supplies that 
are necessary to cure this so-called addiction. This is as idiotic as 
asking Shaquille O'Neal to play basketball on his knees, or Alex 
Rodriguez hitting a baseball left-handed.
  America has been blessed with abundant talent, a tremendous quantity 
of natural resources. Yet we continue to operate with our knees on the 
ground and hitting from the wrong side of the plate. Unfortunately, 
this is not a game that Americans can afford to play.
  Developing American oil and gas will help bring prices down and help 
break the stranglehold on energy that hostile countries in the Middle 
East enjoy. Yet Congressional Democrats continue to refuse any 
development whatsoever. We should not be hesitant to tap into our 
abundant natural resources, especially at a time when energy costs are 
so high.
  Alaska's ANWR is estimated to contain between 5.7 and 16 billion 
barrels of oil. Yet House Democrats have opposed ANWR exploration 86 
percent of the time, while House Republicans have supported responsible 
and environmentally sound development 91 percent of the time.
  The Outer Continental Shelf, OCS, is estimated to contain 19 billion 
barrels of oil and 84 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. Yet House 
Democrats have opposed developing the OCS 83 percent of the time, while 
House Republicans have supported responsible and environmentally sound 
development 81 percent of the time. Today we are drilling for ice on 
Mars, but we cannot drill for oil in America.
  America contains enough oil shale to supply all our needs for over 
two centuries, estimated at over 2 trillion barrels. Yet House 
Democrats have opposed oil shale exploration 86 percent of the time, 
while House Republicans have supported responsible and environmentally 
sound development 90 percent of the time.
  America hasn't built a new oil refinery in decades. It would do 
little good to increase development of our domestic supplies of oil if 
we do not have the refinery capability and capacity to quickly convert 
this fuel into a usable form. Yet House Democrats have opposed 
increasing refinery capacity 96 percent of the time, while House 
Republicans have supported responsible and environmentally sound 
development 97 percent of the time. We need to streamline getting oil 
refineries on-line.
  America is the Saudi Arabia of coal. We must promote this abundant 
resource by promoting coal-to-liquids technology. Yet House Democrats 
have opposed the promotion of coal-to-liquids technology 78 percent of 
the time, while House Republicans have supported responsible and 
environmentally sound development 97 percent of the time.
  What is the opposition's solution to this national emergency? They 
have passed a so-called energy bill that's a non-energy bill.
  Energy is the lifeblood of the American economy. We need to develop 
our own natural resources and drill for oil now.

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