HOUSE Republican Leader John Boehner

Feature the Back to School Energy Survey on Your Website

As back-to-school season approaches, House Republicans – led by Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) and Education & Labor Committee Senior Republican Member Howard P. “Buck” McKeon (R-CA) – today launched an online survey to collect input from school officials, teachers, and parents impacted by surging prices for gasoline and other energy costs.

If you would like to embed the survey on your website or blog, simply paste the below code into the HTML of your site:

<iframe src="https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090119090212if_/http://www.jotform.com/form/82090217552" frameborder="0" style="width:100%; height:1108px; border:none;" scrolling="no"></iframe>

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A Defining Week for Congress

By Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH)

The final week before the August district work period is typically among the busiest of all for Congress — and usually one during which major legislation is passed in advance of the lengthy recess away from Washington. The pressure is on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Senators Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Barack Obama (D-Ill.), and their colleagues in the Democratic leadership to carry on that tradition this week by bringing to the floor of each chamber comprehensive legislation that increases production of American energy to address the number one issue on the minds of the American people: the rising cost of gasoline.

Today begins a defining week for Congress. All year long, gas prices have soared as a result of misguided Washington policies. Even with the small recent dip since President Bush ended the executive ban on deepwater drilling far off our shores (a ban that Congress also needs to lift in order for critical energy production to take place in the oil-and gas-rich Outer Continental Shelf), families and small businesses know we will never see $2 or even $3 per gallon gasoline until the Democratic Majority signals real support for American-made energy to lower gas prices. Over the next five days, Congress has a chance to make this commitment - but only if Democratic leaders allow it.

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Video: ATR Roundtable

Yesterday Leader Boehner attended a roundtable discussion organized by Americans for Tax Reform and The American Spectator where he spoke and answered questions on the House Republican agenda. Boehner also discussed his experiences from the recent American Energy Tour, where he and ten of his colleagues witnessed first-hand the real solutions that make up House Republicans’ “all of the above” strategy to lower gas prices and increase American energy production.

More from Redstate.com:

Boehner came out swinging at Democrats this afternoon. “We will use every option we have to force votes in the House,” Boehner said at a press lunch sponsored by The American Spectator and Americans for Tax Reform. “Democrats have done everything humanly possible to avoid making their members vote.”

…Technology has helped further reduce the impact on the land. Boehner noted that the footprint needed to produce oil in ANWR today is much smaller than 30 years ago—about 1/6th of the original land mass.

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Lessons From an American Energy Tour

Also posted at The Hill’s Congress Blog.

Last weekend I had the opportunity to witness first-hand some real solutions to help lower gasoline prices and energy costs for families and small businesses.  Ten of my house Republican colleagues and I travelled through the Rocky Mountain West on the way to Alaska on an American Energy Tour.  What we saw further opened our eyes to the challenges, and opportunities, which make up America’s energy future.

Our trip began on Friday with a visit to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colorado.  NREL is an Energy Department facility operated by private-sector scientists dedicated to perfecting cutting-edge solar, wind, fuel cell, biomass, and other emerging energy technologies.  The work being done at NREL is a critical component of our strategy to reduce our nation’s dangerous and costly dependence on foreign oil through a comprehensive “all of the above” strategy.  For a look at another critical component of that strategy, we departed for Alaska.

While in Alaska we learned two valuable lessons that will further embolden our fight in Congress for more production of American energy.  First, we learned that the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline, which carries petroleum from Prudhoe Bay on the North Slope to the Gulf of Alaska, is in decline. Officials in Alaska warned us that in 10 years, if the pipeline continues its current rate of decline in transporting oil supplies, the pipeline will be processing less than 300,000 barrels of oil per day, compared to nearly 720,000 today.  Experts agree that at that level — without adding new supplies of oil — the pipeline could not continue to operate, shutting down all production in the North Slope and turning a multi-billion dollar asset into scrap metal. It’s a “pipeline deadline,” if you will.

Secondly, we learned that wildlife can successfully coexist, and flourish, within close proximity to environmentally-safe energy production thanks to new technologies in use by energy companies. While in the North Slope area we saw plenty of wildlife.  Caribou, musk ox, and other native species where everywhere – including our runway as we attempted to depart from the small airport near Prudhoe Bay.  Those on the Left who cite these companies’ “insensitivity” as a reason for stonewalling more production in the region either suffer from a complete misunderstanding of the issue or are purposely twisting the facts. And either way, it’s the American people — not to mention North Slope residents who depend upon energy production for jobs — who suffer the consequences.

The American public and an increasing number of rank-and-file Democrats are demanding that Speaker Pelosi schedule a real vote to increase American energy production.  Her response to CNN recently: “I have no plans to do so.”  House Republicans will continue this fight every single day, but let’s be clear: Only Speaker Pelosi and her liberal Democratic colleagues are standing in the way of lower gasoline prices for the American people.

MORE:

American Energy Tour Photos

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American Energy Tour, Day Three: Building a Bridge to America’s Energy Future

The House GOP’s American Energy Tour brought Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) and nine of his Republican colleagues to Alaska’s remote North Slope today.  The delegation spent the day learning firsthand about both current and emerging oil and gas production technologies which hold tremendous promise not only for consumers but for American workers as well.  Increasing production of American energy is expected to spur substantial job creation, particularly in places like the North Slope, the Mountain West, and far off our shores on the Outer Continental Shelf.

Boehner and his colleagues’ day began north of the Arctic Circle at Prudhoe Bay, where they got a firsthand look at previous generation oil production equipment and processes at the Endicott Production Facility, located in the Arctic Ocean.  The delegation also toured Mile Marker Zero at Pump Station #1, the starting point of the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline, which carries petroleum from the oil-rich North Slope south through Alaska to Valdez, where tankers carry it off to refineries in the lower 48.  Following their visit to Prudhoe Bay, Members participated in:

•    An aerial tour of Alpine Field, where oil and gas production is underway, and the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A), which is currently being explored for potential oil production;

•    A flyover of offshore oil production facilities safely operating in the Arctic Ocean; and

•    An overview of the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve’s (ANWR) “10-02 Area,” which was designated by President Carter and Congress nearly 30 years ago for energy exploration and production.  The 10-02 Area contains some 10 billion barrels of oil, which is currently locked away by the Democrats in charge of Congress – even as gas prices surge.
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American Energy Tour, Day Two: A Roadmap to Energy Independence

The House GOP’s American Energy Tour headed north to Alaska today, preparing for its arrival at the state’s remote, energy-rich North Slope tomorrow.

The tour, led by House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH), already has completed an important visit to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colorado – a facility Boehner said provided “a glimpse into America’s energy future.”

Denver’s KUSA TV reported on the trip, noting the House GOP’s “all of the above” strategy is focused on more of everything – from renewable energy technologies found at NREL to America’s untapped oil and gas reserves found in Alaska’s North Slope, the remote Mountain West, and far off American shores in the Outer Continental Shelf:

“A group of U.S. House Republicans, while on a national energy tour, made a stop Friday at the National Renewable Energy Lab in Golden.” “‘A lot of exciting things are going on here,’ House Minority Leader John Boehner said.” “Boehner is leading 10 Republicans on the tour which stresses the need to tap into both renewable energy and domestic oil in order to combat the rising cost of energy.” “Their stop highlights the important role NREL is playing as the U.S. moves toward alterative energy sources.” “The lab has made notable advances in both solar and wind technology.” “‘We’re very proud of NREL and very supportive of the work being done here,’ said Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, a Republican who represents much of northern Colorado.”

As Congress heads toward a lengthy August recess in less than two weeks, the Democratic Majority is attempting to dismiss both the Energy Tour and the “all of the above” Boehner and his delegation are promoting on it. However, the American people – and a bipartisan majority in Congress – are firmly behind the GOP’s comprehensive strategy to increase production of all forms of American energy. That means maintaining strong support for public-private partnerships like NREL and building a bridge to America’s energy future by increasing production of America’s vast natural oil and gas resources now.

Tomorrow, the Energy Tour will get a firsthand look at those vast resources during a visit to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska – site of “last generation” petroleum technologies – an overview of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A), and a tour of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge’s (ANWR) desolate “10-02 Area,” which was set aside by President Carter and Congress nearly thirty years ago for energy exploration and production. Over the past three decades, however, at the behest of allies on the environmental extremist Left, Democrats have successfully blocked production on this 2,000 acre site (out of ANWR’s 19 million acres), increasing America’s costly and dangerous dependence on foreign sources of energy.

As the American Energy Tour rolls north of the Arctic Circle tomorrow and the American people look to Congress for meaningful action to lower gas prices, pressure is building on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to allow an up-or-down vote on the GOP’s “all of the above” energy strategy. How much longer can she defy the will of American families and small businesses – and the will of a bipartisan majority in Congress?

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American Energy Tour, Day One: The Next Generation

The American Energy Tour brought House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) and nine of his GOP colleagues to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colorado earlier today.  What Boehner and his colleagues saw at the lab – which is a government facility operated by a private sector contractor – was a glimpse into America’s energy future.  Scientists and engineers at the lab are working on cutting-edge solar, wind, fuel cell, biomass, and other emerging energy technologies to reduce our nation’s costly and increasingly-dangerous dependence on foreign sources of energy.   Established in 1974 as the Solar Energy Research Institute, NREL is the U.S. Department of Energy’s primary national lab for renewable energy, as well as energy efficiency research and development.  While at the facility today, Members of the House Republican delegation literally toured the building blocks of the next generation of American energy, including: 

• A Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle;
• A Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle;
• Wind to Hydrogen Technologies;
• An Overview of the Lab’s Biomass Technologies; and
• A Solar Hybrid Electric Vehicle.

 To help lower gas prices on behalf of American families and small businesses, House Republicans support an “all of the above” energy plan that depends on the work done at NREL and similar government and private sector labs across the country.  To secure our nation’s energy future, it’s time for both parties in Washington to begin working together to increase environmentally-safe production of all forms of American energy – from the next generation technologies developed and perfected at NREL to the billions upon billions barrels of oil locked away under Alaska’s desolate coastal plain, America’s remote Mountain West, and far off our shores in the Outer Continental Shelf.   With less than two weeks before Congress adjourns for a five-week August recess and with gas prices soaring, the urgency for real action on an “all of the above” energy strategy has never been greater.  Will House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and her colleagues in the House Democratic leadership finally allow a vote on this comprehensive plan to bring down the price at the pump?

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GOP Leaders Accept Petition From 1.3 Million Americans

On Tuesday, Leader Boehner joined House and Senate GOP colleagues in accepting the signatures of more than 1.3 million Americans who have signed a petition demanding that Congress increase production of American energy to help reduce gas prices.  The petition will be delivered to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV).

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Podcast Update

Audio from today’s Republican Leadership Stakeout can now be found on the House Republican Leader Podcast. If iTunes is installed on your computer, you can click here to subscribe.

MORE: Past episodes and more information on Podcasts

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New Government Censorship? We’re Not Laughing

An article in today’s edition of Congress Daily AM (Capuano: Boehner’s Charges On Rule `Laughably Inaccurate’), looks at Rep. Michael Capuano’s (D-MA) lengthy three-page statement explaining his proposed new restrictions on communications technology within Congress.  House Republicans, respected transparency advocates, technology experts, and concerned citizens around the nation have carefully reviewed his proposal and they’re not laughing.

In his statement, Rep. Capuano explains that his proposed rule, which includes creating a list of “approved” technologies

…allows the American public to have full access to information from Members while ensuring that taxpayer dollars do not support commercial or political advertising on the web.

Interesting point.  Wouldn’t it also then stand to reason that the common practice of Members of Congress submitting op-eds to local and national publications that are published online aside paid advertisements would also be banned?  Op-eds such as these in the Boston Globe or RollCall (screencaps below)? Coincidently the Rollcall article is also linked to on Rep. Capuano’s official website.

Do readers of the Boston Globe and RollCall now think that Rep. Capuano endorses cheaptickets.com, Bernardi Honda, and the new KC-45 tanker?  The answer is no.  Just like the readers of the Boston Globe online, Americans who regularly visit YouTube and other video sharing sites understand that advertisements and content are completely unrelated.  As John Wonderlich, program director for the Sunlight Foundation states:

If the potential for conflict of interest or political advertising is so low (in) the context of the traditional press, then why are we treating the Internet differently?

The web is not “a necessary evil…like cellphones” as Rep. Capuano recently stated in the Washington Post.  The Internet is a powerful tool.  House Republicans understand that embracing technology is essential in improving communicating with their constituents and increasing transparency in government, and they will continue fighting to ensure this new form of government censorship is not enacted.

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