Continuing their protest, the House Republicans held a press conference in Statuary Hall in the Capitol with former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. Congressman Adam Putnam (R-Fla.) said Congress must come back from its five-week vacation and produce an up-or-down vote on the Republicans’ American Energy Act. He said the Republicans will continue their protest on the House floor without microphones and lights until they get their vote.

Gingrich said there are pro-energy Democrats as well as pro-Energy Republicans. He said that although Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) will block any vote, he is confident that the bill will achieve a majority when Congress returns in early September. Congressman Rob Bishop (R-Utah) said Democrats and Republicans can come together to make lasting pro-energy changes, but Speaker Pelosi must call back Congress, or at the very least schedule a vote on the first day Congress returns. Congresswoman Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) called on Senator Barack Obama (D-Ill.) to speak to Senator Harry Reid (D-Nev.) about bringing back the Senate as well, as the push for pro-energy legislation should be a two-party effort.

After the press conference, at 11:00 a.m., Putnam and Foxx, among other representatives, retreated to the House floor to continue their protest. Representatives spoke in front of more than four hundred tourists in the chamber. Putnam said that every day the House is out of session is another day the U.S. is dependent on foreign energy. The crowds in the chamber gave a massive standing ovation when Foxx declared the United States “the greatest country in the world.”

Congressmen Adam Putnam (R-Fla.) and Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) held a pen and pad briefing on the recent American Energy Tour and used the opportunity to express their frustration with Democrats’ anti-drilling position.

Putnam said that America has the tools it needs to solve the energy crisis, but requires new leadership to achieve energy independence. He said the Republicans plan on unveiling a bill that is an “all-of-the-above” approach to the oil crisis that includes measures on conservation, renewables, clean nuclear technology, and domestic exploration for oil. He said the bill would embody Republicans’ open-mindedness and leadership, a stark contrast to Democrats’ constant denial of even debate on the topic of drilling.

McCarthy said that in his recent tour of the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), he learned that a key oil transmission line is not used to capacity and if exploration is not done, great amounts of oil will be lost. He said the Democrats’ constant denial of drilling tells the American people that oil prices will continue to go up. Putnam added that Republicans are constantly offering what they are willing to do, while the Democrats only say what they are unwilling to do. He said his party is determined to force a vote on energy issues before the Congress breaks for August.

House Republican leaders Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) and Rep. Adam Putnum (R-Fla.) briefed reporters this afternoon at their weekly pen and pad briefing. Paramount to their discussion was the high cost of fuel which has dominated discussion on Capital Hill for the past few weeks. (more…)

House Republican Conference Chairman Adam Putnam (R-Fla.) said in a pen and pad briefing that the focus this week for House Republicans has been on short and long term solutions to make energy more secure. He says Americans recognize that Washington, D.C. is “broken” because they are paying 1.50 dollars more than they were at the beginning of the 110th Congress. (more…)