House Committee on Education and Labor
U.S. House of Representatives

Democrats have reached a new low in their quest to avoid comprehensive energy reform. During consideration this afternoon of legislation that purported to be about protecting workers’ wages, Democrats refused to consider an amendment that examined the impact of high gas prices … on workers’ wages.

That’s right.  A bill that’s supposed to protect a worker’s earning power fails to recognize that gas prices are among the most significant factors today diminishing the value of a paycheck.

It’s no surprise that Democrats blocked the vote.  Earlier this week, the Associated Press reported that, “Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., won't let the House or any of its committees or subcommittees allow a vote on offshore drilling.”

So what was so offensive that Democrats used procedural maneuvers to avoid actually voting?

Rep. Howard P. “Buck” McKeon (R-CA) offered an amendment to the so-called Paycheck Fairness Act that would have recognized the impact of high gas prices on working women and families.  His amendment would have underscored the fact that wage disparities may be exacerbated by high gas prices.  It would have called on the Bureau of Labor Statistics to report to Congress on the impact of high gas prices on working women.  And finally, it included a Sense of Congress that all possible ways to diminish the extent to which high gas prices exacerbate disparities in pay should be explored.  This includes legislation to increase the environmentally-safe production of energy here at home.

Although a Sense of Congress is nonbinding, it expresses congressional priorities.  Today, Democrats made clear that their priority is doing everything in their power to avoid providing real energy solutions for American families.

Democrats have categorically refused to take up legislation that would allow for increases in the production of American-made energy.  But now, that refusal has been taken to a whole new level.  By blocking the amendment and refusing to allow a vote, Democrats appear unwilling to even admit that high gas prices are a problem for working families.