[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 5]
[House]
[Page 6923]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                               GAS PRICES

  (Mr. STUTZMAN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. STUTZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with concern over oil prices 
and the effect these high prices have on the American consumer.
  In my district in northeast Indiana, fuel prices are around $4.10 a 
gallon. Just this morning, WANE TV reported gas prices in northeast 
Indiana will be at $4.29 by the end of today. At $4.29 a gallon, many 
of my constituents will not get out of the gas station for under $80.
  The Third Congressional District of Indiana is rural and 
geographically expansive, causing many constituents to fill up their 
gas tanks two to three times a week simply from commuting to and from 
work. For many, this cost makes their total monthly expenditure for gas 
at or above their rent or mortgage payment.
  When President Obama took office, we saw gas prices at a national 
average of $1.84. Now we are told gas prices could be as high as $5 by 
Memorial Day. We cannot continue the status quo and expect Hoosiers to 
pay at the pump.
  That is why, Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 1229, the Putting the Gulf 
of Mexico Back to Work Act, and H.R. 1231, Reversing the President's 
Offshore Moratorium Act, sponsored by Mr. Hastings of Washington. These 
bills, along with H.R. 1230, the Restarting American Offshore Leasing 
Now Act, that the House passed last week, will help us move away from 
our dependence on foreign oil by opening restrictions placed on the 
Outer Continental Shelf, allowing us to tap into our domestic 
resources. Doing this will provide jobs to more Americans and lower our 
gas prices.

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