“This Administration’s policies are making the problem worse.”
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) spoke in support of the McConnell-Inhofe amendment to stop the Environmental Protection Agency’s back-door national energy tax.
Excerpts of Sen. Barrasso’s remarks from the floor of the U.S. Senate:
High Gas Prices
“The Department of Energy says that the average American family will spend $700 more on gas this year than they last year. That is going to impact every family trying to deal with bills, and kids and a mortgage. And it’s not like this problem just happened overnight. For over two years, Americans have heard the President deliver speeches and make promises on energy. But the President says one thing and then he does another. And that ‘Say One Thing, Do Another’ policy does nothing to ease the pain at the pump. This Administration’s policies are making the problem worse. The President’s reckless policies have virtually shut down offshore exploration for oil. Offshore oil production in the Gulf of Mexico is expected to drop 15 percent in this calendar year. What that means is higher gas prices and fewer American jobs.”
OPEC – The Administration’s Back Up Plan
“The Administration actually told Congress they said that we can replace the loss of American oil from the Gulf of Mexico with more oil from OPEC. In justifying more restrictive offshore drilling rules, the Administration admitted that this would lead to lower production of American oil. That is this Administration’s mindset – don’t worry about domestic production, OPEC has us covered.”
McConnell – Inhofe Amendment
“The Administration is also aggressively implementing Environmental Protection Agency regulations that will drive up the cost of energy. The EPA’s climate change regulations under the Clean Air Act will cause gas prices for every American to go up even more. The McConnell amendment will fix this problem. Senator Inhofe originally introduced the legislation in the Senate. This legislation will stop Environmental Protection Agency’s regulatory overreach that is going to increase gas prices. When Congress refused to enact a cap and tax scheme last year, the Administration turned to Plan B . Plan B: the use of the Clean Air Act to regulate climate change.”
Barrasso Bill
“My bill, S. 228, is called the Defending America’s Affordable Energy and Jobs Act. It will block the same manipulation of the laws to increase the future cost of gasoline on all Americans. My legislation, which has the support of 20 Senators, would block the manipulation and misuse of the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, the National Environmental Policy Act and the use of citizen lawsuits. I am trying to stop this Administration from placing a massive energy tax on gasoline and other forms of affordable energy. When the Administration blocks production of American oil used to make gasoline, American families pay higher prices at the pump. They pay those higher prices today and the prices will remain high in the future.”
Commitment to Fighting Cap and Trade
“I plan to continue to fight the many ways this Administration is trying to enact cap and tax policies and raise gas prices. The President says he wants renewable energy to be the cheapest form of energy. He needs to admit that his scheme is to raise the cost of all other forms of energy and make the American people pay the bill. We should be exploring for more American energy offshore, on federal lands and in Alaska.”
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