[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 12170]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




       INCREASING AMERICAN JOBS AND ENERGY PRODUCTION RESPONSIBLY

  (Mr. BOUSTANY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BOUSTANY. Mr. Speaker, people in southwest Louisiana understand 
that increasing American energy production means more American jobs, 
good high-paying American jobs.
  They also know that a magic bullet will not lower the price at the 
pump for families, but increasing American energy production in a 
responsible way will help, and it will create American jobs. The 
American people want to increase energy production in a responsible, 
environmentally friendly way.
  They want to see unleashing of American entrepreneurship and 
ingenuity. They don't want any further delays in seeking energy 
independence, and they know that this is in the interest of national 
security.
  Families in southwest Louisiana and across the country want to see 
solutions to the high prices at the pump, and Republicans have viable 
answers to this. We have introduced a number of bills. The American 
people are now asking the Democratic leadership in Washington if they 
have solutions, because so far they haven't seen any.
  Now, the Democratic Presidential nominee suggests to CNBC's John 
Harwood yesterday that while the U.S. would be better off without such 
a shock in gas prices, he sees higher prices as a good thing.
  I don't get it. I just don't get it. We can work together to solve 
this problem. We can decrease America's dependence on foreign sources. 
It's a sensible thing to do, and I urge my colleagues to join me in 
this quest.

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