[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 5]
[House]
[Page 6921]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              PROTECTING CONSUMERS FROM HIGHER GAS PRICES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Connolly) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, 1 year after the Deepwater 
Horizon oil spill, Americans are paying record gas prices. In northern 
Virginia, gas that used to cost $3 per gallon now costs more than $4 
per gallon.
  This gas price hike is a result of instability in the Middle East and 
possible oil speculation and is a reminder of our dangerous dependence 
on foreign oil.
  Sadly, our Republican colleagues are not advancing legislation to 
help our hard-pressed consumers. Their plan would line the pockets of 
Big Oil, which saw its profits skyrocket 30 percent in line with rising 
gas prices.
  Fortunately, there are positive steps we can take to promote energy 
independence in America and to protect consumers: improve vehicle 
efficiency, boost production of domestic renewable energy, and convert 
oil industry tax breaks into gas price relief for our consumers.
  America owns 1.5 percent of the world's oil but consumes 22.5 
percent; so we can't drill our way to energy independence. The only way 
to end our dependence on foreign oil and reduce gas prices is by 
improving automobile efficiency and developing new sources of clean, 
domestic energy. Energy independence is going to depend on reducing our 
oil consumption and shifting to domestic forms of energy like wind, 
solar, biofuels, and gas. Energy independence will save consumers money 
and protect us from the instability of the Middle East.
  At the end of 2010, Congress extended tax credits for biofuels and 
the production of wind and solar energy. These tax credits increased 
wind energy production by nearly 43 percent in just 2 years. So 
extending them is an important step to increasing the supply of 
domestic energy.
  Under the authority of the Clean Air Act, President Obama and 
automakers recently announced an agreement to improve the efficiency of 
automobiles by 30 percent by 2016. This agreement will save consumers 
$3,000 for each car purchased 5 years from now. Here is another way of 
looking at it: If you could save 30 percent at the pump, better vehicle 
efficiency would more than offset the recent spike in gas prices.
  Unfortunately, oil companies and their allies here in Congress are 
trying to roll back much of this progress. Republican Speaker Boehner 
forced through legislation which would repeal much of the Clean Air 
Act, hurting American consumers and undermining our national security.
  Last week, the leadership in the House passed legislation to short-
circuit safety rules for oil production off America's coasts, 
increasing the likelihood of another Deepwater Horizon catastrophe. 
Their legislation would also allow oil exploration that would impede 
naval operations off the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia. This week, they 
want to attempt to pass a bill allowing for more oil drilling even if 
it interferes with military bases or endangers coastal economies.
  I do not support reckless efforts to allow unregulated oil drilling 
which endangers coastal economies and national security. Last week, I 
introduced amendments to these oil drilling bills. One would strike the 
anti-safety language and add a provision to repeal $37 billion in oil 
company tax loopholes. The amendment would remit this money to American 
drivers. Averaged among licensed drivers, my amendment would give $185 
to every licensed driver in America, reducing the equivalent price of 
gasoline by 27 cents a gallon. The other amendment was written to 
protect national security. It simply requires that the Commander in 
Chief, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, certify that 
before we drill for oil off the coast of Virginia that it does not 
hamper national security and naval operations. I was shocked that all 
but a handful of Republicans voted to kill this commonsense amendment.
  Since the leadership has blocked efforts to include real gas price 
relief in their oil drilling bills, I am introducing standalone 
legislation to assist consumers. The bill, entitled the Gas Price 
Relief Act, would terminate tax loopholes for oil companies while 
rebating the savings to our hard-pressed commuters throughout America.
  There are many positive steps, Mr. Speaker, we can take to reduce our 
dependence on foreign oil, steps that will include clean energy, 
renewable energy, and efficiency in our vehicles. That's the path we 
need to take if we are going to reduce our reliance on foreign oil and 
achieve genuine energy independence.

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