"It is obvious that the federal government was not prepared. We were caught napping. We got complacent,"  - U.S. Energy Secretary Bill Richardson, Feb. 16, 2000

"Higher taxes on fossil fuels - [are] one of the logical first steps in changing our policies in a manner consistent with a more responsible approach to the environment." - Vice President Al Gore, Earth in the Balance, p. 173

Congressman Zach Wamp said Thursday that Congress should work with the Clinton Administration to correct its failing energy policies; and Wamp said that if oil producing countries don't lower prices enough, the U.S. should consider tapping its Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

"It's obvious that while Americans are suffering from soaring gas prices at the pump, the Clinton Administration's energy policies have run out of gas," Wamp said. "But Congress should try to help the Administration find a way out of this mess. During a hearing of the Interior Subcommittee of the House Appropriations committee, I discussed some possible solutions with Secretary Richardson. Among other things, we need to consider dipping into the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve if the Organization of Oil Producing Countries (OPEC) does not agree to reduce prices sufficiently at its next meeting. If we have to use our domestic reserve, we should also take steps to encourage increased domestic production so that we can replenish the Strategic Petroleum Reserve with domestically-produced oil within 12 months."

Wamp commented as a convoy of big-rig truckers rolled into Washington, D.C., to protest high fuel prices that could drive some truckers out of business and boost prices that Americans pay on goods delivered by truck.

"Unfortunately," Wamp said. "The Clinton-Gore Administration got caught napping as this crisis developed. During the Clinton-Gore years, 36 refineries have closed and not enough has been done to encourage safe, environmentally responsible domestic fuel production. Yes, we should pursue reasonable energy conservation efforts, and alternative energy sources such as solar power should not be ignored, but that does not help the commuter in Chattanooga or the trucker in Wartburg pay for gas today.

"Our nation literally saved nations like Saudi Arabia and Kuwait in the Gulf War of 1991," Wamp said. "It's hard to see how this shocking run up of fuel prices that has hurt so many Americans could have happened if the Clinton-Gore Administration had done its diplomatic homework with these countries. We need to hope that the Administration now succeeds in quickly persuading these and other OPEC nations to reduce prices dramatically."