McCotter Joins GOP Leaders in Asking Speaker Pelosi to Reveal “Commonsense Plan” to Lower Gas Prices
This week, Chairman McCotter joined fellow GOP leaders in sending a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi regarding the high price of gasoline. The full text of the letter is below. Also, click here for an article in The Hill about the letter.
The Honorable Nancy Pelosi
Speaker of the House
H-232, U.S. Capitol
Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Speaker Pelosi:
Two years ago this week, you stated that House Democrats had a “commonsense plan” to “lower gas prices.” In light of the skyrocketing gasoline prices affecting working families and every sector of our struggling economy, we are writing today to respectfully request that you reveal this “commonsense plan” so we can begin work on responsible solutions to help ease this strain.
Today, the national average for regular unleaded now stands at $3.51 per gallon, according to AAA, which is $1.18 higher than it was at the start of the 110th Congress – a more than 50 percent increase. In fact, gas prices rose more in the last 15 months than they did in the six years prior to Democrats taking control of both Houses of Congress in January 2007.
In the midst of a slowing economy, falling home values and soaring costs of living, this is a heavy premium for working families to bear.
Americans, particularly those in suburban and rural communities, are paying more simply to commute to work each day. America’s truckers, faced with the prospect of paying $1,200 to fill up a tank that just a few years ago cost $600, must now consider taking less work or going out of business altogether. We have seen reports of school districts where filling up buses is already costing as much as $70,000 more than originally budgeted.
Once a nightmare scenario, $4 gasoline is now a very real possibility of becoming a summer staple. In some cities, including San Francisco and Chicago, it is already a startling reality.
We noted with great interest, then, that on several occasions you have announced the existence of a Democratic plan to lower gas prices. In fact, it was two years ago this week, on April 24, 2006, when you pledged that “Democrats have a commonsense plan to help bring down skyrocketing gas prices.” Just two weeks after that, you stated that Democrats had “real solutions” that would “lower the price at the pump.”
Yet 15 months into the 110th Congress, you have yet to reveal this “commonsense plan.”
House Republicans stand ready to work with you and our Democratic colleagues in a bipartisan fashion to address America’s energy crisis. As part of that effort, we respectfully request that you reveal the “commonsense plan” to lower gas prices you promised two years ago. The ability to fully consider its provisions, details and costs – including any proposed new taxes on gasoline or energy as we have seen in the past – is critical if we are to effectively serve our constituents facing ever-increasing prices at the pump.
We appreciate your timely reply to this request.
Sincerely,
John Boehner Roy Blunt
Republican Leader Republican Whip
Adam Putnam Thaddeus McCotter
Conference Chairman Policy Committee Chairman
Kay Granger John Carter
Conference Vice-Chair Conference Secretary
Tom Cole Eric Cantor
NRCC Chairman Chief Deputy Whip
David Dreier
Rules Committee Ranking Republican
| Posted by Policy Committee Staff (04-24-2008, 04:02 PM) filed under Announcements |
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