WASHINGTON, DC: Congressman Joe Barton (R-Ennis/Arlington) released this statement on Tuesday following House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s latest energy proposal:

“Hurricane Ike isn’t the only storm headed toward America’s offshore oil platforms. Here comes Hurricane Pelosi with an even more destructive threat to our energy supply.

“We all understand that the speaker believes she is saving the planet by denying drivers a chance to buy gasoline at a reasonable price. The unhappy result of her decision to deny both Republicans and Democrats a chance to vote on new drilling offshore was $4-a-gallon gasoline all summer with more in sight every time a speculator, a terrorist or a weather forecaster hiccups.  

“The speaker says the idea that we can ‘drill and bring down the price at the pump is a false premise,’ but her conviction that the price of gasoline will plummet without new supplies of U.S. oil defies common sense. Today’s proposal may be the best that America can expert from a high-ranking official who knows so little about energy that she believes natural gas is not a fossil fuel.

“One hurricane aimed at U.S. energy production is enough. I urge the speaker to reconsider the harm that her turgid response and rigid philosophy are doing to the average American family. She might wish it otherwise, but working people still drive to work, to school and to shopping, and the speaker’s continued refusal to do anything about the soaring price of the fuel is making their lives rougher.

“Today’s sham energy bill is more of the same – less energy, higher costs, and an exercise in in-your-face power at the expense of fairness. I hope that everyone concerned about the cost of energy will join me in just saying no, thanks, until the speaker finally understands that a fair and open debate, with real votes on real proposals, is the only way out of the energy mess she’s created.

“The Republican solution is the American Energy Act, an all-of-the-above plan to start environmentally safe drilling for oil and gas in America now and to finance the research we need to provide renewable sources of energy for the future. The American people expect the House to do everything it can, not stiff them at every turn.”

Congressman Joe Barton represents the 6th District of Texas. He was first elected to office in 1984.