WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Pete Domenici, ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, issued the following statement regarding today’s procedural vote that prevented Democrats from ending debate on a bill that addresses only the issue of speculation in oil markets, without any production:

 

            “Today, Republicans stood up for the American people by insisting that Senate consider measures to increase American production in order to bring down the price of gasoline.  The bill that we voted on this morning addresses just one small piece of the problem and needs to be amended with real solutions.  In fact, in my 36 years in the Senate, I don’t think I have ever seen such a small solution to such a big problem.

 

            “Its time to push the Senate button and start acting like the deliberative body we are supposed to be.  The Senate should proceed with a full, open and robust debate on energy.  As it stands now, the Majority Leader is preventing us from offering any amendments whatsoever, and has even cancelled votes on bills that fund the Government just to prevent us from voting on increased production.  This is now how the Senate is supposed to work, and the American people deserve better.”

 

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