JOHN CARTER

With Texas families and small businesses continuing to feel the pain at the pump as another holiday weekend is close upon us, Congress has yet to bring forth an energy plan that will lower gas prices.

You may have heard of the Majority’s “use it or lose it” proposal. This plan calls for Congress to force energy companies to “use” their leased federal lands to produce oil – or “lose” those leases. The truth is that “use it or lose it” is already the law of the land. Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Hoyer each voted for it in 1992. Under the law, federal energy lease holders already must produce oil or natural gas within five to 10 years after drilling begins. If companies fail to comply, the Secretary of the Interior has the power to cancel the lease. If Pelosi and Hoyer have already voted for this legislation, and it is already law, why are they insisting on bringing up another bill to do the exact same thing? Perhaps, it could be because they have no meaningful plan of their own to bring down gas prices.

The “use it or lose it” plan claims that energy companies are sitting on 68 million acres of federal land without exploring or drilling for oil and natural gas; however, this is nowhere near the truth. According to the American Petroleum Institute, companies actively develop their leases-but not every lease contains oil or natural gas in large enough quantities. Companies can evaluate leases for several years only to determine that they do not contain oil or natural gas. Those of us in Texas know that it is not easy to bring oil and natural gas to the market. There is a long and costly process of obtaining the lease, evaluation and exploration before you can even begin the production phase.

Another false claim is the accusation that 4.8 million barrels of oil per day and 44.7 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day may be ‘extrapolated’ from the oil companies unused federally-leased lands. The truth is that no Democrat or any federal authority can provide a source for this information. In fact, earlier this week, The American Association of Petroleum Geologists (an independent group funded by member fees, not oil companies) wrote Congress to explain the process of developing oil and gas leases, which completely goes against these facts.

The truth is that the only way to lower gas prices is to explore for new American energy in an environmentally safe way as well as increase our conservation. I remain committed to working in a bipartisan manner to increase the supply of American energy, promote conservation and help lower prices at the pump. Congress can’t do that by simply voting on misleading or inaccurate bills that do nothing to solve the problem. I call on my Democratic colleagues to work with Republicans and produce energy legislation that will provide the American people with the relief they desperately are seeking.

Next to sky-rocketing gas prices and our illegal immigration crisis, the rising cost of health care is one of the top concerns for Central Texans. There are thousands of Texans who want health insurance but cannot afford it, and thousands of low-income children who are uninsured. Health care costs continue to rise far faster than inflation, causing wages to stagnate and squeezing the budgets of families who already suffer from high gas prices.

Instead of solutions, the Majority in Congress has offered more of what got our health care system to this state in the first place; more lawsuits, more bureaucracy and less choices for patients and their families.

This has to change.

Republicans have rolled out an agenda to reform our health care system. I have always believed that government tends to create more problems than it solves, so let me assure you that this plan is in no way a step toward government-run health care. Instead of forcing Americans into a Washington-run health care program, Republicans have a plan to pass reforms that reduce costs and ensure personal health care decisions are made by patients, their families and their doctors. Here is how we do it.

We will reform the tax code so that all Americans can afford a quality health insurance plan and keep it. By leveling the playing field between those who don’t have employer-provided health insurance and those who do, we will make health coverage more affordable and empower you to keep your own health insurance plan, even if you decide to retire early or change your job. Since World War II, the tax code has favored health insurance provided by employers. Tax incentives to purchase health insurance should apply to any individual who purchases coverage, regardless of whether they obtain coverage at their job or in the individual market.

We will make health insurance more affordable by allowing families to enroll in plans available in other states if those plans better meet their needs. Instead of setting up new bureaucracy, we will empower individuals to make the best choices for themselves and their families when it comes to purchasing health care. We’ll harness the power of the marketplace to allow Americans to compare insurance policies from across the country and pick one that best meets their needs. This will provide every American with better health care choices, and reduce the number of Americans who are unable to find affordable coverage.

We will enhance Americans’ control over their own health care by expanding the availability of tax-free health savings accounts so they can use their own money wisely on health care benefits they need today, save for their future health care needs, and spend more time seeking preventative care.

We will fight to reform frivolous lawsuits that are driving up costs and reducing patient access to care, and reverse the dangerous shortage of physicians in high-risk practices like obstetrics and surgery by reforming our medical liability system.

We will help small business owners afford health insurance for their employees by allowing them to purchase coverage at similar rates as large corporations and government agencies. We will do this by passing legislation to allow businesses to band together through associations and purchase quality health care for workers and their families at a lower cost.

We will require medical bills to be made more transparent and easier to understand in order to increase competition and empower individuals to know they aren’t being overcharged. We will also improve health care quality in America by expanding the use of health information technology and electronic medical records.

We will provide more effective care and more choices for our seniors, improve veterans’ health care through expanded choices and increase the number of low-income children with health insurance in America. We will do this in a manner that puts poor children first, instead of allowing adults and illegal aliens to misuse the program. We will promote and expand research to develop new and innovative technologies that will encourage prevention and ultimately treat and cure diseases and disorders.

House Republicans have a plan to guarantee access to affordable, high-quality, patient-centered health care for every American. We cannot afford to stall any longer on this issue, and it is my hope that Speaker Pelosi will join Republicans and work together for a more stable, more affordable health care system.