Washington, DC – Congressman Mac Thornberry today issued the following statement regarding H.Con.Res.398, the Resolution recessing Congress for the August congressional recess:  “The Speaker’s refusal to keep Congress in session until we take action on a comprehensive energy bill is very disappointing.  Refusing to allow even a vote on any of the proposals to increase domestic energy production degrades the institution and the people’s confidence in their government.  Refusing to allow such a vote also means every American will pay more in energy cost than they should.”

Thornberry is the author of H.R. 3089, “The No More Excuses Energy Act of 2007,” to encourage domestic energy production of all kinds.  It would create a competitive leasing program to responsibly drill on federal lands in Alaska and remove the congressional moratoria on drilling in the Outer Continental Shelf; encourage construction of new refineries by requiring the IRS to implement provisions from the Energy Policy Act of 2005; allow tax exempt bonds to be used for construction, and make use of federal lands for new refineries; expand electricity generation by encouraging investment into building new nuclear power plants and boosting alternative energy development through wind power by extending the Production Tax Credit for ten years.

Congressman Thornberry’s bill is the subject of a discharge petition and other efforts to force the Democratic Leadership to bring it to the Floor for a vote.

“Over a year ago I introduced H.R. 3089, ‘The No More Excuses Energy Act of 2007.’  The bill would encourage more domestic production of all forms of energy; oil, gas, nuclear, and renewables, such as wind.  Since the bill was introduced, a discharge petition has been filed to try to force it to the floor for a vote and it has been proposed as an amendment to a variety of other bills, including two just this past week.  But the House leadership has never allowed it to come to a vote.  In fact, despite the current energy crisis, no bill to provide for new oil and gas production or new nuclear plants has even been voted on in the House of Representatives, much less gone to the President for his signature,” said Thornberry.

"The American people want Congress to roll-up its sleeves and get something done on energy.  There are a lot of ideas to be considered and this is the wrong time to send Congress home for more than a month,” concluded Congressman Thornberry.