Congressman Mike Pence

"On behalf of hard-working Hoosiers...let's give Americans real relief at the pump."

 Washington, D.C. – U.S. Congressman Mike Pence spoke on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives regarding the high price of gas. His remarks are below:

"There are a lot of issues being debated here in our nation's Capitol, but Hoosiers are talking about just one thing: that is rising gas prices at the pump.

"The average price of gasoline in Indiana right now is $3.82 a gallon. That's 10 cents higher than the national average. It's worth noting that when President Obama came to office, the average price of gasoline nationwide was $1.79.

"This administration pushed cap and trade, a national energy tax that the president said would cause utility rates to skyrocket. They've pushed it through regulations even though it didn't make it in the Congress. They suspended deep water drilling in the Gulf of Mexico for a time. They've placed the entire Pacific and Atlantic Coasts off-limits to drilling, refused to explore Alaska, decreased production across the western part of our nation, and most recently rejected the Keystone XL Pipeline.

"I say, and I take no joy in saying this, but rising gasoline prices are a natural result of the policies of the Obama Administration, and this administration must change course.

"It's time that we enact an all-of-the-above energy strategy that includes more access to America's energy reserves, more alternative energy sources, encouragement of conservation. That's how we will tackle this crisis.

"I rise on behalf of hard-working Hoosiers and everyday Americans who are struggling with the prices at the pump on this first day in March to say to this administration, 'Accept the Keystone Pipeline, approve more domestic exploration, abandon your head-long rush toward regulation and a national energy tax, and let's give Americans real relief at the pump.'"

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