At the protesting House Republicans’ afternoon press conference, Congresswoman Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) says that Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) efforts to silence the Republican protest for energy this week has only energized the Republicans’ efforts to bring back Congress and force a vote on their American Energy Act. (0:59)
The protesting House Republicans held another press conference calling for an immediate vote on their American Energy Act, despite Congress being out for a five-week vacation. House Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) returned from Missouri to participate in the protest. Blunt said it takes only five minutes for a representative in their home state to realize that the most important and urgent issue is the economy. (more…)
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.”
At a press conference held by the protesting House Republicans, Congresswoman Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), likens Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to Marie Antoinette. She mentions a quote by a Pelosi aide saying the Democrats’ energy solution is to “drive small cars and wait for the wind.” Foxx likened it to the Antoinette’s words, “let them eat cake.” She says the Speaker of the House should be expected to take action in response to the needs of the American people. (1:02)
In an interview with the Talk Radio News Service’s Dawn Jones, Congresswoman Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) criticizes Congressional Democrats for their inability to formulate a plan to lower the cost of fuel and their unwillingness to entertain potential solutions to record high oil prices. Foxx advocates increasing the United States’ supply of oil by drilling in the ANWR, drilling for oil on continental shelves, and exploring alternative fuel options that use “everything but the squeal,” a reference to killing hogs. Foxx criticizes the Democrats actions as “fluff” and questions whether or not they understand the basic rule of economics. Foxx suggests that government lessen its involvement in the development of alternative technologies because “when government gets involved we usually screw it up.” (7:03)
