Reports
- America's Economy in Crisis: The American People Can’t Afford Four More Years of the Same Failed Policies This morning, as reports of major financial institutions faltering were piling up, Americans were left looking for answers. The deepening crisis is best explained in last week’s Financial Times, by the Republican who chaired the House Financial Services Committee as the crisis developed: 09/15/2008
- Accomplishments for College Students in the 110th Congress As students across the country return to school, Congress has been hard at work making college more affordable and accessible. After years of neglect and inaction, we have made progress for college students and their families. 09/10/2008
- Big Oil's Free Money: Royalty-Free Leases Ten years ago, oil companies purchased about 1,500 leases to drill for energy on publicly-owned lands in the Gulf of Mexico— but they did not have to compensate American taxpayers for 70 percent of them. 09/10/2008
- A New Direction for American Energy The New Direction Congress supports an energy policy which includes new responsible domestic drilling—including new leasing and drilling in the Outer Continental Shelf, with appropriate safeguards, and without taxpayer-financed royalty holidays and unneeded subsidies for oil and gas companies earning historic corporate profits. 09/05/2008
- A Progress Report for Working Americans The New Direction Congress has passed strong initiatives to restore the American dream—helping ensure that, after 12 years of neglect, America’s working men and women have the tools they need to provide a better life for themselves and their families. 09/03/2008
- A Progress Report for Young Americans Young Americans have spoken out loudly and clearly about the need for a new direction in America. After years of neglect and inaction, solutions are needed. This Congress, under Democratic leadership for the first time in a dozen years, is making progress. 09/03/2008
- Free Our Oil: 10 Days, Immediate Relief The New Direction Congress is demanding President Bush to “Free our Oil.” Releasing oil from the government’s stockpile could bring immediate relief in 10 days. In contrast, John McCain is calling on Congress to return to Washington to vote on the Republican “Drill Only” plan that will save consumers only 2 cents more than 10 years from now. 08/07/2008
- Top Ten Questions for the House GOP on Energy As a small band of House Republicans remain on the House floor to call for “drill only” legislation that would not bring immediate relief to consumers, their constituents deserve to know why their representatives in Congress have failed to support serious, responsible proposals put forward by the New Direction Congress. Americans have a right to know if House Republicans will reverse their opposition to these proposals; will Senate Republicans, including Senator McCain, stop blocking these bills; and will the President sign them? 08/06/2008
- Record High Gas Prices for Americans, Record High Profits for Big Oil - Top Five Oil Companies Report $44 Billion in 2Q Profits This summer, American families and businesses have been squeezed by record high energy prices. But at least one industry didn’t seem to suffer… this week’s quarterly earnings announcements from the top five Big Oil companies show record profits… continuing a five-year trend of record oil profits under the Bush Administration. 08/01/2008
- Big Business for Big Oil - Exxon Mobil Reports Largest Quarterly Profit by U.S. Corp., Royal Dutch Shell Profits Up 33 Percent As American families and businesses continue to struggle with rising energy prices, President Bush, Senator John McCain and Congressional Republicans continue to protect the interests of Big Oil at the expense of real relief for consumers. 07/31/2008
- The GOP Energy Plan: 'None of the Above' Republicans may talk a good game, but their actions speak louder than words. Republicans have voted against the critical solutions that must be part of a comprehensive New Direction for Energy Independence. They voted against renewable energy and conservation, responsible domestic oil production, short-term measures to bring down prices now and punish those who are manipulating the oil market, and new requirements that oil companies pay their fair share. 07/30/2008
- A New Direction for America Americans are calling for a New Direction after years of inaction and incompetence on the toughest challenges: a costly war without an end; skyrocketing fuel prices without a plan for energy security; a housing crisis which threatens to force more families from their homes. 07/29/2008
- BP 2Q Profit Soared to $9.47 Billion: 28 Percent Higher than Second Quarter Last Year As American families and businesses continue to struggle with rising energy prices, President Bush, Senator John McCain and Congressional Republicans continue to protect the interests of Big Oil at the expense of real relief for consumers. 07/29/2008
- Day Nine: Free Our Oil From Strategic Petroleum Reserve The price of oil remains staggeringly high. Today, oil closed at $134.60 per barrel – more than 320 percent higher than when President Bush took office. American families and businesses are feeling the impact of the sky-high price of oil every day at the gas pump, grocery store and in every sector of our economy. 07/16/2008
- Experts Agree: The Time for a New Economic Stimulus is Now The New Direction Congress is working to craft a new economic recovery stimulus package to help people make ends meet, help get our economy back on track and to help renew the American Dream. 07/16/2008
- Day Seven: Free Our Oil From Strategic Petroleum Reserve Today, President Bush announced he is lifting a 1990 executive order banning offshore drilling off the coast of the United States. But experts agree that rescinding this ban will do nothing to bring down the high price of gasoline at the pump for American families or businesses. 07/14/2008
- Day Five: Free Our Oil From Strategic Petroleum Reserve Speaker Pelosi and House Democrats have called on the President to draw down a small portion of oil in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to immediately expand available supplies, send a strong message to oil speculators, and help reduce the record prices that are helping push the economy toward recession. 07/12/2008
- Day Four: Free Our Oil From Strategic Petroleum Reserve Today, as American families and businesses continue to struggle with sky-high prices at the gas pump, the cost of crude oil surged to nearly $147 a barrel – a new record. President Bush said one reason consumers are feeling pinched and crude oil prices are so high is because “demand is outstripping supply.” 07/11/2008
- Day Three: Free Our Oil From Strategic Petroleum Reserve Today, Speaker Pelosi called on Americans to contact the White House and ask the President to draw down a small portion of the oil in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to immediately expand available supplies, send a strong message to oil speculators, and help reduce the record prices that are helping push the economy toward recession. 07/10/2008
- Day Two: Free Our Oil From Strategic Petroleum Reserve Newspapers across the country are dismissing “drill only” as a flawed energy policy – saying the argument for opening the Arctic Refuge and lifting the offshore drilling ban is a ‘ploy’ and a ‘pander,’ and would not reduce gas prices in the short term. 07/09/2008