Rising gas prices

Congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waite's remarks from the floor of the House of Representatives on rising gas prices last night.

Approximately 7:17 – 7:19 pm, Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Brown-Waite, G. (R-FL): “To address the House for one minute. Be able to revise and extend my remarks.”

THE SPEAKER PRO TEMP ORE: “Without objection.”

Brown-Waite, G. (R-FL): “Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise today to share the absolute disgust that my constituents have with the inability of this Majority to do anything about rising gas prices. Today I received this letter from a constituent in Wesley Chapel. His name is Benjamin and he's more than ready to drill for oil and natural gas here in the United States and certainly off the coast of Florida. His message is, “it's time to drill our own oil now.” That’s very clear. But in case you don't get the message, he was also kind enough to include a drill bit in his envelope so he thought we should start drilling right away. Madam Speaker, if Benjamin gets the need for increased domestic production, why doesn't this congress? We need to promote efforts to drill in ANWR, drill in the non-protected areas of the Outer Continental Shelf, support new refineries, and promote nuclear power. Instead the Democrat Majority wants to raise your gas tax by as much as 50 cents a gallon as the Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee recently suggested. Madam speaker, we need to listen to Benjamin and to our other constituents who don't want our taxes raised. Thank you, I yield back the balance of my time.”