Dems Deny More Opportunities for American Energy & American Jobs
May 12, 2011
FYI, a similar version of this release below went out to the following districts: Tim Bishop (NY-01), Bruce Braley (IA-01), Dennis Cardoza (CA-18), Russ Carnahan (MO-03), Ben Chandler (KY-06), Jim Cooper (TN-05), Raul Grijalva (AZ-07), Martin Heinrich (NM-01), Brian Higgins (NY-27), Jim Himes (CT-04), Ruben Hinojosa (TX-15), Steve Israel (NY-02), Bill Keating (MA-10), Dale Kildee (MI-05), Ron Kind (WI-03), David Loebsack (IA-02), Carolyn McCarthy (NY-04), Jerry McNerney (CA-11), Bill Owens (NY-23), Ed Perlmutter (CO-07), Gary Peters (MI-09), Betty Sutton (OH-13), John Tierney (MA-06), Niki Tsongas (MA-05), Pete Visclosky (IN-01), Anthony Weiner (NY-09), John Yarmuth (KY-03)
Owens Denies More Opportunities for American Energy & American Jobs
New York Democrat Continues to Block Energy Production as Gas Prices Near Record Highs
Washington — As gas prices edge closer to record highs today, Bill Owens again voted against producing more domestic energy and for continuing our crippling dependence on foreign oil (H.R. 1231, Roll Call Vote #320). Even though this measure would have increased access to American energy and created jobs in the energy sector, Owens chose to side with his fellow Democrats and oppose it.
“If Bill Owens is at all concerned with New York families and their burden under nearly record prices at the pump, he sure doesn’t show it,” said NRCC Communications Director Paul Lindsay. “Instead of working to provide his constituents with more American energy, reduce our dependency on foreign oil and create jobs in the process, Owens voted with his fellow Democrats today to continue stifling domestic energy production.”
Under the Obama Administration’s energy policies, oil prices are rapidly nearing record highs:
“U.S. gasoline prices next month will come close to breaking the all-time record high price of $4.11 a gallon set three years ago, the Energy Department’s forecasting arm said on Wednesday.” (Tom Doggett, “US gasoline price in June to approach record high-Govt,” Reuters, 5/11/11)
Former Democrat Rep. Harold Ford, Jr. recently agreed with former President Bill Clinton that the Democrats who control Washington have been unreasonable and “ridiculous” when it comes to domestic energy:
“In the year since the Deepwater Horizon spill, the Obama administration has put in place what is effectively a permanent moratorium on deep water drilling. It stretched out the approval process for some Gulf-region drilling permits to more than nine months, lengths that former President Bill Clinton has called ‘ridiculous.'” (Harold Ford, Jr., “Washington vs. Energy Security,” The Wall Street Journal, 5/11/11)
And the Democrats’ own energy policy of raising taxes has been deemed “laughable” by their colleague Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA):
“‘I see what our states produce and these people produce nothing, or virtually nothing — and you ask me can I vote for a bill like this?’ asked Landrieu from Senate the floor on Wednesday, comparing the major energy-producing states with non-energy producing states. ‘No,’ said Landrieu, answering her own question. ‘Not only can I not vote for it. It’s laughable.'” (Josiah Ryan, “Dem calls Dems’ oil-tax bill ‘laughable,'” The Hill‘s Floor Action Blog, 5/11/11)
While middle-class families in New York are burdened with gas prices nearing record highs, Bill Owens again voted today to continue clamping down on domestic energy. Instead of aiding efforts to reduce our dependency on foreign oil and create jobs in the process, Owens is actively working to oppose them.
Dems Deny More Opportunities for American Energy & American Jobs http://ow.ly/4Tpva #madeinwdc
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