[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 12748]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            PLAN FOR ENERGY

  (Mr. PERLMUTTER asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. PERLMUTTER. Mr. Speaker, I listen to my friends on the other side 
of the aisle and they ask, what's the Democrats' plan for energy? Well, 
with two oilmen in the White House, it's obvious what the Republicans' 
plan has been, and it has been a constant increase in the price of gas 
since the day George Bush and Dick Cheney took office.
  There are 68 million acres under lease for oil production not being 
used, being hoarded, being kept out of the market. It's a red herring 
to say we need to drill more. It's available. What we really need to do 
is get off the addiction to oil.
  We have learned this lesson before. We don't need to keep learning 
it. We need to have research and development in new ways to power this 
Nation.
  At the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado, with just 
tweaking the battery of a Prius, the lab reached 100 miles to the 
gallon. We can no longer be dependent on the Middle East for oil 
production. We have to change this Nation and its energy plans. To do 
so is good for national security, good for the climate and good for 
jobs.
  We have to change the direction of this Nation.

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