Washington,
Apr 19, 2005 -
Oil prices continued at record highs as New Mexico Congressman Steve Pearce and the House Resources Committee ironed out a national energy bill. The House is scheduled to debate the legislation tomorrow (Wednesday). The legislation focuses on supplying the U.S. energy demand with domestic energy, including oil production on the northern coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and more access for renewable energy projects.
Congressman Steve Pearce says legislation needs to be passed now because New Mexicans deserve relief from skyrocketing gas prices.
“Obstructionists in Congress have squandered four opportunities in the last four years to be proactive in solving America’s energy problems,” said Pearce. “As a result, skyrocketing prices and increasing imports from rogue countries are now a direct threat to our economy, the job market and national security.”
If the Senate had passed the comprehensive energy plan in 2001, American families and the U.S. economy might not be facing these problems:
· The average price of gasoline increased 80 percent from $1.23 to $2.21 per gallon.
· U.S. imports of oil have increased by more than 10 percent.
· The price of a barrel of oil has more than doubled, from just over $23 a barrel in 2001 to $58 a barrel just last week.
Pearce emphasized, “America sends more than $200 billion overseas to import oil every year, while we could be producing energy and jobs at home. The United States already relies heavily on foreign sources of oil; we do not need to increase our dependence on volatile foreign nations for our energy security.”
“North America,” Pearce said, “could increase its oil supply by 17.2 million barrels per day but Congress has done very little to tap that energy. Opening the northern coastal plain of ANWR, which has enough oil to replace Saudi Arabian imports for more than 25 years, is the first step to creating more jobs while reducing this dependence.”
“Given our circumstances, a vote against this energy plan is essentially a vote to do nothing and a vote for higher prices,” Pearce continued. “It is time to end the obstruction and get this plan in place.”
“The Energy Policy Act of 2005 addresses rising energy prices by combining more domestic production and conservation measures to increase America’s supply and to decrease our demand,” Pearce said. “Congress must not delay relief for American families and businesses any longer.”
