Sen. Saxby Chambliss says that the “Gang of 10” coalition’s ability to come together and discuss the United States’ most important issue is what the Senate is all about. Chambliss says that the group has been able to form a true bipartisan cooperative effort with all ten members to come up with a solution the the energy crisis. (1:23)
Senate Budget Chairman Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) talks about the New Era Bill that has been created by the “Gang of 10” in an effort to reduce gas prices, lessen the nation’s dependence on foreign oil, and strengthen America’s economy. Conrad says that the group has 84 billion dollars ready to move the nation from a dependency on oil to alternatives. He says that the bill has a goal of having 85 percent of America’s cars and trucks transitioned to alternative fuels - a dramatic statement according to Conrad. (1:18)
Members of a bipartisan coalition of Senators known as the “Gang of 10” held a news conference to discuss their plan to reduce gas prices, lessen the nation’s dependence on foreign oil, and strengthen America’s economy. The “Gang of 10” is led by Senate Budget Chairman Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) and Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), and includes Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.), Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), Sen. Johny Isakson (R-Ga.), Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), and Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.). (more…)
Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan) says that the time has come to bring about real energy reform to stop prices fro breaking the backs of truck drivers, and all Americans (:34).
Senate Republicans held a joint press conference with Americans from the trucking industry this afternoon to discuss increased energy costs and its effect on commodity prices. Barbara Windsor, President and CEO of HAHN Transportation said that her trucking company spends $1,400 per vehicle to fill it with Diesel gasoline, and currently spends 58 percent more on fuel than it did a year ago.
Tony Sifford, a professional truck driver said that despite the fuel conservation efforts that he employs, such as slowing down, keeping a constant speed and maintaining a tuned-up vehicle, he still pays over $1,100 more than he did a year ago to drive from Hillsville, Virginia to Dallas, Texas three times per week. Sifford called upon the Democrats to stop playing games and cross party lines to bring an energy solution to America.
Sen. Wayne Allard (R-CO) said that Americans in the West need a solution, as they tend to drive further distances than others in the nation. As such, he said that he favors searching for oil everywhere we possibly can and not remove options from the table, especially because no renewable energy source exists for truck drivers.
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) says that the price of gas at the pump is the most important subject in the U.S. He says that the only way to bring down the price of oil is to expand domestic production. McConnell says that the beginning bill only focuses on a small part of the problem, and focusing on speculation only will have no impact. He is curious to see if Congress will rise to the occasion and give the issue the attention it needs. (2:05)
The Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development held a hearing to discuss the forecasts for oil and gasoline prices and examine the Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) budget request for Fiscal Year 2009. Chairman Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) said that the EIA is a very important organization and that their work is very important to the United States. However, Dorgan could not understand why the EIA’s projections continued to be “way, way, way off” for the past six months. Dorgan also said that he was confused as to why the price of oil and gasoline skyrocketed when nothing fundamentally changed in order to cause this. (more…)
Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) says he finds it shocking and shameful that the United States remains the most wasteful nation in the world with respect to energy and that the United States dependence on foreign energy sources stems from its own extravagance. (0:58)
Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.) said in a conference call with the Barack Obama campaign, that John McCain (R-Ariz.) has spent the week exhausting himself with a double talk dance and presenting new and opposite views on many of his policies.
Kerry outlined several positions that McCain has changed on over the past few weeks such as torture, offshore drilling, drilling in the Artic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). McCain said that he would “be more than happy to examine that again” even though he previously said it wasn’t worth the time. Kerry said that the U.S. has only three percent of the world’s oil and John McCain used to know his stuff and argue is points well, but now “running for president has evidently provided an opportunity for double talk” or more of the Washington game at the expense of the interest of the American people.
Kerry said that before McCain can start debating with Obama, he needs to finish debating with himself. The fundamental distinction between Barack Obama and John McCain is that Obama understand that you can’t drill your way out of this crisis but that you need alternatives, Kerry said. McCain is offering the same Bush mentality that oil can solve every problem. The United States cannot have leadership that pretends there is a solution for getting more oil and gas through U.S. sources that will help the current crisis, the leadership need to be focusing on alternative energy solutions, he said.
St. Paul Minnesota Mayor, Chris Coleman agreed with Kerry’s remarks and said that McCain’s gas tax holiday is “the biggest gimmick McCain has put out there.” Whereas Obama has proposed significant and real steps towards a more secure future, McCain has only proposed more Washington gimmicks and flip flopping policies.
At the pen and pad briefing with House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-M.D.) today, Hoyer said that McCain changes position so rapidly and is continuing to flip flop in his policies. Oil and gas companies hold the leases to 6.8 million acres of government land on the outer continental shelf, and they are not producing oil. 4.8 million barrels of oil could be produced if they drilled there, but McCain is ignoring what has already been authorized, Hoyer said. He said that democrats are supportive of offshore drilling and that alternative energy is what Congress and others should be focusing on.
Hoyer thinks that Obama is doing the right thing meeting with Clinton and others. He said in reference to Democratic party unity, “I believe it will happen” because there is a gulf of differences between McCain and Obama. While Clinton supporters are rightly disappointed right now because their candidate lost, Hoyer believes that more then 90 percent will support Obama because their country’s interest come first.
The supplemental bill going through the House right now will offer funds for the troops, address all the issues the President recommended and also offer assistance for the emergency in Iowa. Hoyer said the supplemental is the “critical focus” of the next 24 hours.
