Whitfield Calls on Speaker to Produce American Made Energy | News | Congressman Ed Whitfield

News | Congressman Ed Whitfield | United States Representative

Whitfield Calls on Speaker to Produce American Made Energy July 22, 2008 WASHINGTON - Furthering his efforts to increase domestic supplies of energy and reduce skyrocketing fuel costs for Kentucky consumers, U.S. Representative Ed Whitfield (KY-01) called on the leader of the House of Representatives last week to immediately consider legislation which would increase American supplies of energy.

"Kentuckians know that in order to bring down record high fuel costs, we need to increase our domestic energy production," Whitfield said. "Yet, leaders in the House of Representatives continue to block consideration of any sensible, productive legislation that would aid American consumers trying to fill up their tanks this summer. The time for action is now."

Whitfield joined over 70 of his colleagues in sending a letter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, urging her to allow Members of the House to vote on legislation which would increase American energy supplies. The Members noted in their letter that economists agree that today's high energy prices are driven by demand shock and that world demand will only continue to grow. Combating these excessive energy costs for the long term will require a sustained increase in American energy production.

The Congressman believes that the recent onslaught of rising energy prices has been brought on by a number of factors including the failure of leaders in the House of Representatives to allow domestic oil and gas exploration, speculators in the energy market driving up the costs of fuel and limited refinery capacity. By enacting legislation to remedy these shortcomings, Congress can help reduce the price consumers are paying at the pump and pave the way for American energy independence.

Whitfield has sponsored more than a dozen pieces of legislation to increase American made energy by opening up certain reserves within the United States for environmentally responsible drilling; encouraging the development of alternative fuels such as ethanol, coal-to liquids and nuclear power; developing domestic oil shale resources; and encouraging the building of new domestic refineries.

Whitfield has been leading an effort in Washington to ease the burden of skyrocketing gasoline prices on Kentucky drivers. Most recently, the Congressman introduced a bill, the End the Pain at the Pump Act, which would provide a tax rebate roughly equivalent to the price of 1/3 of a gallon of gas for workers who use their personal vehicles to drive to and from work. The legislation would also grow the country's fuel supply by expediting the approval of refinery permits and opening additional areas to environmentally responsible drilling.

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