As Senate Dems Push Bill to Increase Gasoline Prices, House Democrats Do Nothing to Lower Them
New York Times: Senate Bill Will Force Democrats to "Come Out in Favor of High Energy Costs at a Time When American Consumers Are Paying Record Fuel Prices
Washington,
Jun 3, 2008 -
Senate Democrats are pushing fatally-flawed legislation this week that would raise gasoline prices even further at the worst possible time for American families and small businesses already facing $4 per gallon gas across the country. An Associated Press report sums up the Democrats’ poor timing:
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“With gasoline at $4 per gallon and home heating and cooling costs soaring, it is getting harder to sell a bill that would transform the country’s energy industries and – as critics will argue – cause energy prices to rise even more.”
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Even the New York Times says the bill will force Democrats to “come out in favor of high energy costs at a time when American consumers are paying record fuel prices.” Those record prices now amount to a national average of $3.98 per gallon, according to AAA. That’s a staggering $1.65 per gallon of gasoline more today – the Pelosi Premium – compared to what they paid on January 4, 2007, which is the day Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) became Speaker.
As Senate Democrats push flawed legislation that would harm our economy and raise gasoline prices even further, House Democratic leaders are once again failing to address the crisis at all. Not a single piece of legislation to help lower gas prices is on the House schedule this week. But guess what? Speaker Pelosi’s hand-picked Chairman of her specially-created Select Committee on Energy Independence, Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA), is formally introducing the House Democrats’ long-awaited global warming legislation as early as today. And it’s even more far-reaching and costly than the Senate bill, so taxpayers beware. Here’s what CongressDaily PM said about the House Democratic bill last week, after Chairman Markey previewed it in a speech before a left-wing group aligned with congressional Democrats:
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“House Global Warming Chairman Edward Markey today unveiled a plan to curb greenhouse gas emissions 85 percent by midcentury, a more aggressive proposal than envisioned by Energy and Commerce Democratic leaders and sought in pending Senate legislation. Markey, an ally of House Speaker Pelosi whom she tapped to head the temporary select committee, outlined his bill in a speech to the Center for American Progress and will introduce it next Tuesday. Pelosi’s staff has been briefed on its contents, which are seen as legislation that liberal Democrats and many environmental groups consider ideal and necessary to reverse climate change.”
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In other words, as American families and small businesses are begging Congress to throw them a life preserver amid today’s soaring gas prices, the Democrats in both the House and Senate this week are throwing them an anchor. No wonder most Americans believe Washington is broken.
It’s clear that congressional Democrats’ extreme legislation would harm our economy and increase skyrocketing gas prices even further. And American families and small businesses simply can’t afford it. That’s why Republicans support responsible climate change policies that will protect our environment, advance our energy security, and create more American jobs. In fact, House Republicans have unveiled a comprehensive plan for lower gas prices and energy independence.
The House GOP blueprint promotes alternative and renewable fuels, harnesses technologies already being employed successfully by our global competitors, and unlocks America’s natural energy resources through the environmentally responsible exploration of oil and gas here at home. And that means greater supplies of all forms of energy right here at home to reduce our dependence on foreign sources of energy, protect us against blackmail by foreign dictators, create American jobs, and grow our economy. This plan – not the Democrats’ costly gambit – is the right prescription for our nation’s energy woes.
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