Many lawmakers were ready to vote for the American Energy Act (H.R. 6566), a bill that would have expanded access to all of America’s energy options and bring relief at the gas pump, the grocery store and on home energy bills.
But Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, fearing that her agenda of restricting America’s energy supply would be upset should this bill come to a vote on the House floor, turned off the lights and went home. Rather than debate what has become a serious problem for many American families, Pelosi and her anti-energy cohorts abruptly adjourned session. It should outrage most Minnesotans that a majority of Minnesota's Congressional delegation voted to adjourn session rather than address America's energy crisis (click here to see how Minnesota Representatives voted).
When pro-energy lawmakers refused to leave the House chamber and continued to debate the issue, Speaker Pelosi ordered the lights, microphones and cameras turned off in an attempt to stifle the popular pro-energy message being espoused. Despite the darkness, and lack of CSPAN coverage, many lawmakers remained in the chamber and pitched their energy plan to tourists or whoever happened to come through the chambers. These determined congress men and women have remained at this vigil for days, calling on Speaker Pelosi to reconvene session or for the President to force Congress back to work on the energy problem by calling a special session.
Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann, who represents Minnesota’s 6th District, is one of the lawmakers who voted against adjourning. Of expanding oil drilling into ANWR, she recently said, "Currently, the U.S. is the only country in the world that discourages using its own energy resources. Our country imports 10 billion barrels of crude oil every day. And we are importing 1.3 million barrels of refined gasoline. Having toured Alaska, I've seen the infrastructure that is already built and pipeline that is not even at full capacity, and no wildlife at all is being harmed." Bachmann believes in an "all of the above" energy policy that would include increased domestic oil production, developing new energy technologies, conservation and terrestrial (nuclear) power.
Pelosi's anti-energy agenda was exposed in a recent interview with George Stephanopoulos of ABC News. Pelosi, who upon becoming speaker had promised a fair open debate process that would allow the minority party to present their alternatives, now says she will not allow a vote on the Energy Act to come to the House floor. "They’ll have to use their imagination as to how they can get a vote," she said of Republican lawmakers attempting to have their bill heard. Pelosi says she’s saving the planet by stonewalling on energy policy, stating her "flagship issue" is global warming. Pelosi said, "We have to take this one step at a time, but why we're spending all this time on a parliamentary tactic when nothing less is at stake than the planet, the air we breathe, our children breathe?"
Pelosi suggests a solution for gas prices would be for the President to release oil from the strategic petroleum reserves, a stockpile of about 775 million barrels of oil set aside for military use in case of national emergencies. Selling off 100 million barrels of the reserve has the potential to reduce the price of crude by about $12 per barrel (currently about $125 per barrel). This reduction would last for all of three months and then leave us in the same boat we are now in with no new oil supply, continued rising prices and with the added bonus of a reduced strategic reserve that would cost even more to replenish.
Meanwhile, a group of nearly 50 House members remain at the capitol with a message of "Pelosi, we’re here. Where are you?" Speaking from the darkened House chamber, Representative Jean Schmidt of Ohio said, "Pelosi is on a book tour, God bless her, she wrote a book. I wish I could take the time to write a book. Well now is the time to vote, not the time to write a book."
RSC Chairman Jeb Hensarling observed, "Speaker Pelosi says that we need to "use our imagination" for her to allow a vote for more American energy. Well, I’ve got a wake-up call for her. Americans shouldn’t have to imagine their summer vacations, they should be able to take them. Americans shouldn’t have to imagine their commute to work, they should be able to afford it. And in the greatest deliberative body in history, the peoples’ Representatives shouldn’t have to imagine a vote for more American energy, they should have a right to it."
Congressman John Kline, who represents Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District is among the lawmakers lingering in the House chamber demanding a vote on energy solutions. "We should not be on a five-week paid vacation when Americans are pumping their paychecks into the gas pumps," Congressman Kline said. "We are going to continue to insist that House Democrat Leadership bring Congress back so we can find a meaningful solution that includes domestic drilling to help Americans deal with rising gas and energy prices."
Two people have the power to reconvene Congress at this point. One is Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who is dead set against allowing a vote on this issue which she holds the minority opinion on, and which she knows could be politically damaging to her cohorts. The other is President Bush, who has indicated that he will not call a special session to force Congress to deal with this important issue.
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Click here to see how Minnesota's delegation voted on adjourning.