[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 13024]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             MIDDLE CLASS AMERICAN FAMILIES ARE STRUGGLING

  (Ms. CASTOR asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Ms. CASTOR. Madam Speaker, middle class families across America are 
struggling with the rising cost of health care, housing and gas prices 
brought on by the White House economic policies of the last 8 years.
  Unfortunately, Big Oil continues to have a stranglehold over our 
country's energy policy. The latest proposal from their allies in the 
White House and other prominent Republicans is to drill for oil just 
off of our beaches.
  But oil companies already have access to 68 million acres that they 
are not actively tapping, and the administration's own Energy 
Department reports that opening up new areas would have no impact on 
the price of gas.
  True leaders are working on long-term solutions to reduce our 
dependence on oil and gas, promote conservation and new renewable 
technology. This has been the fundamental failure on energy policy of 
the Bush administration, and now Americans are paying the price. Do not 
reward Big Oil's latest attempt to grab even more.
  Join us in fighting harmful speculation in petroleum markets and our 
efforts to end the massive, wasteful taxpayer subsidies to big oil 
companies. Short-term political gimmicks are no substitute for real 
leadership.

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