HOUSE Republican Leader John Boehner

Gov. Palin with House GOP on the American Energy Tour [3:30]

In July, House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) and a delegation of 10 House Republicans completed their American Energy Tour, which made a stop at a renewable energy lab in Colorado as well as several energy-rich locations in Alaska to highlight meaningful solutions to help reduce gas prices and break America’s dependence on foreign sources of energy.  On the trip to Alaska, the GOP members had the pleasure of meeting and discussing the importance of an “all of the above” energy strategy with Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) — a photo on the trip below:

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8-29 GOP Uprising Live Blog [1:10]

House Republicans have wrapped up Day 21 of the GOP’s historic protest of the decision by Speaker Pelosi and House Democrats to adjourn the House without a vote to lower gasoline prices.  Following are a couple more excerpts from GOP members today:

Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA): 

“How much is solar and wind power?  They say its 1 percent.  But really they rounded it up.  It’s really .5 percent.” “I hope, as we do, you support the all of the above energy strategy.  But we have been denied a vote.  We have not been able to even debate it.  We have been shut out.”

Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK):

“I’m from Oklahoma where we have oil.  What I want to see is other States have the ability to develop their resources.  But we haven’t had that opportunity.  We’re asking for a vote on the American Energy Act.  Just bring it up….bring it up under an open rule.  Let’s debate and see where we end up.  A majority of Members believe we should be exploring all kinds of energy.  But the Speaker has blocked us.”

Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN):

“Something happened with gas hit $4 a gallon.  If we had a vote today on a bill that says yes to more American energy production and also yes to solar, and wind, and conservation, and efficiency, it would pass with 250 votes.” “We need to unleash entrepreneurial innovation.  We need to conserve.  We need to allow more production.  I also believe the investment we’re making now will, in the long run, will help us achieve energy independence.” 

Rep. Thad McCotter (R-MI):

“We have a bill, the American Energy Act, and it does four thing: it maximizes development of American energy; it calls for commonsense conservation; it calls for free market innovation; and it a responsibly transitions us to America’s energy future.  We need to avoid a situation a situation where we deny Americans the ability to develop our own resources.”

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8-29 GOP Uprising Live Blog [12:15]

Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN):

“Congress has an obligation to come back to this chamber…to come back and debate and to compromise and to develop a long term strategy to achieve independence for future generations.”

Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN):

“When gas was $4.14 a gallon this body was debating the Monkey Safety Act.  You are sitting in the People’s House and this Congress needs to be considering your priorities.”

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8-29 GOP Uprising Live Blog [11:30]

Today is Day 21 of House Republicans’ historic energy protest in the U.S. Capitol.  The American people strongly support our “all of the above” plan to lower prices at the pump.  But Speaker Pelosi still refuses to allow a straight up-or-down vote on the American Energy Act (H.R. 6566) to lower gas prices.  GOP members participating in Day 21 of the protest include:

Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)
Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK)
Rep. Thad McCotter (R-MI)
Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA)
Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN)

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8-28 GOP Uprising Live Blog [1:05]

House Republicans have wrapped up Day 20 of the GOP’s historic protest of the decision by Speaker Pelosi and House Democrats to adjourn Congress without action to lower gasoline prices.  Following are a couple more excerpts from GOP members today:

Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA):

“America is drilling for ice on Mars, but we can’t drill for our own oil.  It’s insane.”

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX):

“Fact is, the leaders on the other side truly believe, in order to save the planet, they’re OK with allowing gas prices to skyrocket.  They want to quit using fossil fuels to save the planet.  No nation with a struggling economy ever cleans up the environment.  I don’t know why you’d risk job loss to save the planet.  Long ago, America did have a lot of pollution.  But in the last 40 years we have made tremendous strides.  We can do both…we can have energy independence and a clean environment.”

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8-28 GOP Uprising Live Blog [12:30]

Rep. Mike Ferguson (R-NJ):

“Republicans believe in an ‘all of the above’ strategy on energy.  We believe we should look at every possible form of energy to meet our energy challenges.” “If you look strictly at the statistics, this Congress has been the least productive Congress in history.  We have been busy, though.  We did vote to name the Year of Astronomy.  We did name Frank Sinatra Day.  We did name National Passport Month.  We’ve named 49 months, 27 more months than in the calendar.”

Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX):

“We are not asking for an outcome.  All we’re asking for is a vote.  To deny us a vote is undemocratic.  We were promised the most open Congress…we have not seen it.”

Rep. George Radanovich (R-CA):

“We have not seen the federal government allow development of resources in 30 or 40 years.  We’ve said no to ANWR, no to OCS.  On oil, we’ve gone from 20 percent imported 30 years to 70 percent today.” “The current situation is not like the oil shock in the 1970s when OPEC simply said we’re cutting supply.  This time we have skyrocketing demand for oil all over the world.”

Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA):

“Yesterday I was in Columbus, Georgia and gas was $3.49 a gallon … about 50 cent less than a month ago.  Why?  Because President Bush lifted the executive order on off shore drilling.  There’s also a congressional ban.  It expires at the end September.  Liberal Democrats want to extend it that ban.  They don’t want us to drill our own resources.”

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NH Union Leader: “Americans Get What Pelosi Doesn’t” [11:30]

An editorial in today’s New Hampshire Union Leader addressed Pelosi’s “can we drill your brain?” comments as well as Rep. Carol Shea-Porter’s support for adjourning Congress without an up-or-down vote on lower gas prices: 

“Americans get what Pelosi doesn’t. More than three times as many Americans support offshore drilling as approve of Congress right now.”  “Pelosi’s detached arrogance is shared by our own Rep. Carol Shea-Porter. In an interview with the Portsmouth Herald last week, Shea-Porter laughed when asked about Republicans protesting Congress for leaving town without voting on energy legislation. She thinks it’s funny that people are angry that Congress chose to go on vacation instead of act to lower high gas prices.”  “This is the arrogant, dismissive attitude personified by the current Democrat-controlled House. The people demand solutions; the Democrats mock them. Have you had enough yet?”

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8-28 GOP Uprising Live Blog [11:15]

Today is Day 20 of House Republicans’ historic energy protest in the U.S. Capitol.  The American people strongly support increased American energy production, and that’s exactly what House Republicans are offering with our “all of the above” plan to lower prices at the pump.  The House GOP’s American Energy Act (H.R. 6566) would lower gas prices by increasing production of American energy, promoting more conservation and efficiency, and encouraging the use of more alternative and renewable fuels.  But Speaker Pelosi still refuses to allow a straight up-or-down vote on the “all of the above” energy reforms.  GOP members participating in Day 20 of the protest include:

Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA)
Rep. Mike Ferguson (R-NJ)
Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX)
Rep. John Linder (R-GA)
Rep. George Radanovich (R-CA)
Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX)

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House GOP Catholics Rebuke Speaker Pelosi’s Comments

A letter spearheaded by GOP Policy Committee Chairman Thad McCotter (R-MI) — signed by 19 Catholic House Republicans including Republican Leader John Boehner – was sent last night to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) asking her to correct the record regarding her comments on abortion on NBC’s Meet the Press. The letter, attached in full here, asks Pelosi to correct the record:   

“To reduce the scandal and consternation caused amongst the faithful by your remarks, we necessarily write you to correct the public record and affirm the Church’s actual and historical teaching that defends the sanctity of human life.”

 

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Baird on his Fellow Democrats: “We ought to just say [the surge] worked.”

In a Seattle Times column today entitled “Iraq Buildup Succeeds, Brian Baird Still an Outcast,” Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA) speaks about his support for the surge last year:

“‘We ought to just say that it worked. People were understandably skeptical of the administration at the time. But we have to acknowledge reality. Do you stay with a political position because it’s popular even if it doesn’t square with the facts?’”

“Baird’s view is that if ‘the people in our party advocating for an immediate withdrawal of troops last year had gotten their way, it would have been disastrous for the U.S.’”

On the response from his Democrat colleagues, Baird said:

“‘After all that extraordinary outrage directed at me, not one person has called me up and said ‘Hey, Brian, it looks like you might have had a point after all,’ said Baird, in Denver for his party’s national convention this week.”

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