HOUSE Republican Leader John Boehner

You Don’t Say?

After abruptly cancelling an Appropriations committee session today in order to avoid a vote on Republican energy solutions to increase more American energy production, a spokesman for Democratic Chairman David Obey (D-WI), said in a statement:

“It should come as no surprise to anybody that Dave Obey has no patience for B.S.”

The “B.S.” to which Chairman Obey’s spokesperson was referring was a House Republican effort to force a simple up-or-down vote today in the Appropriations Committee on an amendment by Rep. John Peterson (R-PA).  The Peterson amendment would remove the outdated federal ban on new drilling in deep ocean energy zones far off the U.S. coast – a proposal that enjoys widespread and growing support among the American people, as recent polls confirm.  Congressional Democratic leaders have defied the American people by refusing to allow reforms like the Peterson amendment to even be debated in Congress this summer.  Why?  Because they would likely pass and become law.  And the radical environmental lobbyists to whom liberal Democratic leaders are beholden wouldn’t like that.

Like House Republicans, a majority of Americans want to increase domestic energy production to lower gas prices.  They don’t want more misleading and inaccurate claims.

As American families cancel summer vacations due to skyrocketing gas prices, the House Democratic leadership is content to go home for the July 4th recess without having allowed a vote on any real reforms to increase energy production.  House Republicans believe Congress should not leave town with voting on real energy solutions.

Republican Leader Boehner spoke on the floor of the House just a few minutes ago to again stress the importance of acting now:

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Rep. Bachmann: Democrat AMT Bill “Will Hurt the Middle Class Exactly When We Shouldn’t”

Originally posted on GOP.gov:

This morning, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) debated Ways and Means Chairman Charlie Rangel (D-NY) on CNBC’s “Squawk Box.” Their topic: the Democrat AMT bill on the House floor today.  

Rep. Bachmann on the Democrat AMT Bill: “This bill is a permanent tax increase to give a one-year tax cut. That’s a really a bad deal for the American people.”  

“This is super-sizing American government growth. That’s not the direction the American people want us to go. They want us to cut taxes, not increase taxes.”

Rep. Bachmann on How The Democrat AMT Bill Will Raise Gas Prices: “The bill we are going to see today from Chairman Rangel will hurt the middle class exactly when we shouldn’t. … It has a tax increase on American energy production. That’s the last thing we should do right now when Americans are paying over $4 a gallon.”

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Speaking Democrat

House Republican Policy Committee Chairman Thaddeus McCotter gives us a primer on “Speaking Democrat”:

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Republican Committee RSS Feed

Check back each week for a collection of updates from House Committee Republicans. Click on the links below to view the latest news or subscribe.

Committee on Education and Labor (RSS)

McKeon Statement on ADA Amendments Act

Republican Leaders Express Strong Support for District of Columbia Education Package

Energy and Commerce Committee (RSS)

Barton Asks CEO of Yahoo! about Partnership with Google

Barton Welcomes Bush Offshore Drilling Proposal, CFTC Action on Oil Speculators

Committee on Foreign Affairs (RSS)

Ros-Lehtinen Expects House Passage of Zimbabwe Arms Resolution Bill commends South African dock workers and regional governments for refusal to unload armaments bound for Mugabe

Ros-Lehtinen Schedules Meetings this Week with U.S. Envoys to Venezuela, Cuba

Transportation and Infrastructure Committee (RSS)

Mica to Host Forum on Short Sea Shipping as Solution to Freight Congestion

 

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Links for June 17, 2008

67% Support Offshore Drilling, 64% Expect it Will Lower Prices (Rasmussen Report)

Most voters favor the resumption of offshore drilling in the United States and expect it to lower prices at the pump…A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey…finds that 67% of voters believe that drilling should be allowed off the coasts of California, Florida and other states. Only 18% disagree and 15% are undecided.

EDITORIAL: ‘Fairness’ is censorship (Washington Times)

If House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the rest of the Democratic leadership are so certain they are right to support the “Fairness Doctrine,” why not bring a measure - any measure - to a floor vote? … The House showed its intent last summer, when a majority of 309 approved a one-year Fairness Doctrine moratorium attached to a financial-services bill, over the Democratic leadership’s opposition. It is censorship, and ordinary House members are rightly having none of it.

Two GOP Lawmakers Switch Support for Expanded Alaska Drilling (Fox News)

Two House Republicans, who previously opposed drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge without preconditions, came out Thursday in favor of opening up the field for oil exploration. Reps. Jim Walsh of New York and Roscoe Bartlett of Maryland announced at a press conference they’d support drilling there…

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Republican Committee RSS Feed

Check back each week for a collection of updates from House Committee Republicans. Click on the links below to view the latest news or subscribe.

Committee on Armed Services (RSS)

Hunter Statement on the Resignations of Secretary Michael Wynne and General T. Michael Moseley

Committee on Education and Labor (RSS)

McKeon Touts Republican Economic Plan

Energy and Commerce Committee (RSS)

Sullivan Legislation Protects the Rights of Private Property Owners

Committee on Foreign Affairs (RSS)

Ros-Lehtinen Urges House Passage of Merida Initiative; Vote expected today on Merida Initiative to strengthen regional cooperation to combat drug trafficking, gangs, and organized crime

 

 

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House Republican Crime Fighting Agenda

House Republicans are concerned about safe neighborhoods—and understand the need for tough legislation to fight child predators, identity theft, gang violence, and other crimes. According to the Department of Justice, one person is assaulted in the U.S. every 7.2 seconds, raped every 2.7 minutes, and murdered every 31 minutes. That means in the last hour, 500 Americans will have been assaulted, 22 raped, and 2 murdered.

Congress should do more to protect American families and to keep our communities safe. In the 110th Congress, Republicans have introduced more than 103 pieces of legislation to help fight crime, but Democrats have considered only 6 of these—and three of those are resolutions- worthy, but very minor and non-controversial measures . Responding to the anxieties of American parents and families, House Republicans have also devoted a significant section of their upcoming Security Agenda to bolstering neighborhood security.

Curiously, Congressional Democrats also ignored the recent National Police Week (May 12-16th), a time when thousands of law enforcement officers are in Washington to remember those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in protecting our nation from criminals. Democrats only belatedly scheduled the bipartisan bill authored by Rep. Poe to honor law enforcement officers during the week after National Police Week.

House Republicans honor our nation’s law enforcement officers. As Rep. Dave Reichert, whose 33-year career in law enforcement included catching the Green River Killer, recently said:

“We’re free and safe because of the men and women in our local law enforcement and their daily sacrifices.

Rep. Reichert and House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Rep. Lamar Smith recently took to the House Floor to highlight Republicans’ commitment to fighting crime:

Part one (Part two and three of Rep. Reichert’s remarks)

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Republican Committee RSS Feed

Check back each week for a collection of updates from House Committee Republicans. Click on the links below to view the latest news or subscribe.

Committee on Education and Labor (RSS)

Education Committee Republicans Call for Investigation of Waste, Fraud & Abuse in Federal Education Programs

Energy and Commerce Committee (RSS)

Yucca Mountain License Application Submitted on Time

Bipartisan Health IT Bill A Good Start, Barton Says

Barton, Shimkus Ask GAO for Review of Export Controls

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Rep. Mike Rogers on Energy Independence

As House Democrats stand by and watch gasoline prices soar, Republicans continue to advance a comprehensive energy reform policy that will boost supplies of American-made energy and reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

Rep. Mike Rogers (R-MI) is the latest House Republican to not only offer solutions, but present them in an innovative fashion with an interactive presentation on his website and web video (below).

American families and businesses, already struggling to cope with the increasing cost of living and a slowing economy, don’t deserve the Pelosi Premium. House Republicans have a plan to deliver real change by increasing American energy production, promoting new sources of reliable energy, and encouraging greater energy efficiency.

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Rep. John Carter: Support a sound energy policy

From the Austin American Statesman:

Gas in Texas has passed the $3.70 mark and is expected to continue to rise. For years, Republicans have brought forth common-sense, environmentally responsible energy policies that would provide our country with its own secure oil and gas supply, but those policies have been blocked by Democrats in Congress, the Senate and the White House. Even now, as gas and diesel prices set record highs across the country, the Democratic leadership continually refuses to tackle the problem.

The truth is simple — Congress must take action to encourage conservation and promote the research and innovation necessary to develop energy sources and technologies. And we must unlock energy supplies here at home. Republicans in Congress recently unveiled an energy plan that will bring the much needed relief for American families by safely and responsibly increasing supplies. These reforms are the only way Americans are going to see lower prices at the pump.

First, we must increase the production of American-made energy by reducing America’s dependency on energy from unstable foreign governments and dictatorships by increasing environmentally safe production of oil and natural gas in areas such as the Arctic coastal plain and deep ocean energy resources. We also must promote unconventional fuels such as coal-to-liquid technology and recover our vast oil shale reserves. We need to increase access for environmentally responsible development of domestic oil and natural gas production; provide financing and tax incentives; and advance the commercialization of the nation’s 2 trillion barrel shale oil resource, 80 percent of which is on government-owned land in the West. That would be enough to supply all of America’s needs for more than two centuries.

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