ARLINGTON, TX: Congressman Joe Barton released the following statement in response the Energy Plan laid out by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during the weekly Democratic Radio address:

“The high price of energy is hurting people all over Texas and all over the country. The public is tired of gimmicks and political gamesmanship. They want real solutions to real problems, but unfortunately that is not what they got from Speaker Pelosi during her radio address.

She blamed the President and the Republicans in Congress for record high gas prices, but neglected to point out that since the Democrats took control of Congress nearly 2 years ago the price at the pump has gone up nearly $1.50 a gallon. With their energy plan, Speaker Pelosi and the Democrats are saying ‘I want high energy prices and I want them to go higher. I just don’t think that is right.’ We need plan for the future, but that doesn’t mean sacrificing the present.

In her speech, Speaker Pelosi accused Republicans of supporting a drill only plan. Clearly she hasn’t read the American Energy Act, which was introduced by House Republicans in late July. The first line of the legislation reads, ‘A bill to bring down energy prices by increasing safe, domestic production, encouraging the development of alternative and renewable energy, and promoting conservation.’

Republicans support a plan that focuses on developing all of our options. The American Energy Act is an “all of the above” plan to lower gas and energy prices by encouraging more conservation and efficiency, promoting the use of more alterative and renewable fuels, and expanding drilling on remote lands and far off American shores in an environmentally-safe way.’

That last part is important. Any new American energy plan must include significant domestic exploration. America is a treasure chest of resources and too much of it is off-limits. It is time to unlock our own power so we depend less on hostile foreign sources.

If Speaker Pelosi and the Democrats are truly serious about lowering energy prices, I invite them to end their five week recess, come back to the Capitol and let’s debate openly on the House Floor a true American energy policy that will ease the burden on American families.”

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