Today in Washington D. C. - July 21, 2008

The Senate: An important week gets underway in the Senate today as Democrats finally allow the Senate to have a debate on energy issues. Unfortunately, they have put forward a bill aimed only at punishing energy speculators and doing nothing to address supply issues. Senate Republicans will insist on a full and fair debate that includes production as a significant component of any bill. The Senate will reconvene late today at 3 PM today and will resume consideration of the motion to proceed to the Democrats’ energy speculation bill (S. 3268). A cloture vote on the motion to proceed is expected Tuesday.

From Senate & News Sources: In contrast to Democrats’ narrow approach to high gas prices, Republicans have continued to promote a solution closest to the needs and wishes of the American people. The proposal is to help Americans “find more and use less” energy, the Gas Price Reduction Act. While the GOP bill includes a measure to strengthen futures markets, Republicans believe the key to addressing gas prices is a focus on supply and demand.

Though some Democrats have signaled their willingness to consider proposals to increase domestic energy supplies by opening new areas to offshore drilling, Democrats’ Congressional leadership remains obstinately opposed. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi recently called drilling “an absolute hoax.” and Senate Majority Leader Harry Read told CQ Today on Friday, “Drilling is a red herring.”

Public opinion is clearly moving toward the GOP position. The New York Times reports that prominent Democrat polling firm Democracy Corps said in a recent analysis, “McCain’s message adding domestic oil production to a policy of alternative energy investment and conservation is favored over Obama’s message that blames oil companies . . . .” The idea of finding more energy is seeing a lot of agreement all across the country. The Pueblo Chieftain in Colorado and the Augusta Chronicle in Georgia both called on Congress over the weekend to allow more energy exploration.

Gannett News notes that the New Jersey delegation, once united against offshore drilling, is now split on the issue. And the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner notes that Alaska “[Sen. Lisa] Murkowski and Sen. Ted Stevens are . . . expected to offer an amendment that would grant energy companies access to the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, if given the chance.”

Yet Democrats have continued to offer excuses for their inaction on energy supplies. A recent talking point claimed that oil companies were not using lands already leased to them, but an AP report today explains exactly what is happening in those areas, putting the Democrats’ argument on thin ice at best. Democrats have also turned to oil magnate T. Boone Pickens, since he has been supporting investments in wind energy recently. But Pickens tells the Dallas Morning News that the Democrat energy speculation bill is simply “wasting time” and that we should “[g]o ahead and drill on the OCS.”

It’s long past time for Congress to address energy and gas prices. While Democrats appear to be attempting to avoid a debate on increasing domestic energy production, Republicans are continuing to push for votes on proposals that can actually affect gas prices by focusing on supply and demand.

---

Tags: energy prices, gas prices, offshore oil, oil drilling, US Congress, US House, US Senate, Washington D.C. To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!