“Republicans kept the pressure on President Obama over high gas prices today,” USA TODAY reports, with House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) using the Weekly Republican Address to challenge the president to seize on common ground and back bipartisan, House-passed energy bills. These "all-of-the-above" energy initiatives remain stalled in the Democratic-controlled Senate, despite being backed by the president’s own jobs council and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. The Hill notes that “the Speaker has been hammering the president over energy for months, first over his delay of the Keystone pipeline and more recently as gas prices have risen.” Below, check out more coverage of the Weekly Republican Address, which you can now read, listen to, watch, and download.
“BOEHNER PRESSES OBAMA ON GAS PRICES.” “Republicans kept the pressure on President Obama over high gas prices today, as House Speaker John Boehner demanded that Obama ‘make good on his rhetoric’ and urge the Senate to vote on GOP energy bills. ‘Let's seize on our own common ground and move forward on a path to a real 'all-of-the-above' energy strategy,’ the Ohio Republican said in the GOP's Saturday radio address. Boehner said that Obama – ‘who has seen gas prices more than double on his watch’ – has not pushed legislation that could pass the Democratic-run Senate as well as the Republican House.” (“Boehner presses Obama on gas prices, energy issues,” USA TODAY, 3/31/12)
“CHALLENGED OBAMA TO GET BEHIND ENERGY PROPOSALS BACKED BY HOUSE REPUBLICANS.” In the Republican address, House Speaker John Boehner challenged Obama to get behind energy proposals backed by House Republicans, sustaining a GOP drive to blame the administration for high gas prices in an election year. Boehner called for more oil and gas production in federal lands and for a freeze in new regulations over refineries. He criticized Obama for pushing the anti-oil subsidy bill and for pressing Senate Democrats to vote down an effort to jump-start an oil pipeline project from Canada to refineries on the Texas Gulf Coast. He said Obama, in a meeting with congressional leaders a month ago, had shown a willingness to embrace some House Republican energy ideas. ‘It was a new sign of hope, but unfortunately, only a brief one,’ Boehner said.” (Associated Press, 3/31/12)
“BOEHNER TOUTED THE BUDGET HIS CHAMBER PASSED … CRITICIZED” DEMOCRATIC-RUN SENATE LOGJAM. “Boehner touted the budget his chamber passed along party lines Thursday, and criticized what he considers a logjam in the Democratic-controlled Senate ‘The budget, I'm sorry to say, is just the tip of the iceberg,’ he said. ‘The Senate has stalled dozens of House-passed bills, several of which would implement the Republicans' 'all-of-the-above' energy strategy to address rising gas prices and help create jobs. All of these energy bills passed with bipartisan support. Many are backed by the president's own jobs council.’ He said the president's influence is partly to blame for what he sees as inaction, and called on Obama to push for legislative action.” (“Obama, GOP weekly addresses focus on economy,” CNN, 3/31/12)
“THE SPEAKER HAS BEEN HAMMERING THE PRESIDENT OVER ENERGY FOR MONTHS.” “President Obama needs to pressure Senate Democrats to do more about rising gas prices, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said Saturday. ‘The Senate has stalled dozens of House-passed bills, several of which would implement the Republicans' 'all-of-the-above' energy strategy to address rising gas prices and help create jobs,’ Boehner said in the GOP's weekly address. … The Speaker has been hammering the president over energy for months, first over his delay of the Keystone pipeline and more recently as gas prices have risen.” (“Boehner: Obama needs to press Senate to act on energy bills,” The Hill, 3/31/12)
“URGED PRESIDENT OBAMA … TO BACK THE REPUBLICANS’ ‘ALL-OF-THE-ABOVE’ ENERGY STRATEGY.” “U.S. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, urged President Barack Obama Saturday to back the Republicans' ‘all-of-the-above’ energy strategy. … Boehner said the president hasn't done enough to prevent gas prices from rising. The House speaker cited the Obama administration's opposition to the Keystone XL oil pipeline. ‘The Senate has stalled dozens of House-passed bills, several of which would implement the Republicans' all-of-the-above energy strategy to address rising gas prices and help create jobs,’ Boehner said. Boehner said all the energy bills had passed with bipartisan support and many had the backing of the president's jobs council. ‘So today, I'm challenging President Obama to make good on his rhetoric and urge the Senate to allow a vote on bipartisan, House-passed energy bills,’ he said.” (“Boehner faults Obama on energy,” UPI, 3/31/12)
“USED THEIR WEEKLY ADDRESS TO HAMMER THE PRESIDENT ON THE HIGH COST OF GASOLINE.” “Republicans used their weekly address to hammer the president on the high cost of gasoline — charging that Obama has failed to push through several GOP-sponsored energy bills that have cleared the House but are stalled in the Democratic Senate. … ‘Today I’m challenging President Obama to make good on his rhetoric and urge the Senate to allow a vote on bipartisan, House-passed energy bills,’ Boehner said. (POLITICO, 3/31/12)
“BOEHNER CALLS ON OBAMA TO ‘MAKE GOOD’ ON ENERGY RHETORIC.” “This week, the House approved a budget hatched by Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., that Speaker Boehner says will ‘remove barriers to job creation.’ ‘You see, the Senate hasn't passed a budget in more than 1,000 days, a failure of leadership that has contributed to Washington's 'stimulus' spending binge,’ he says in the address. What's more, Boehner says the House has passed other measures, ‘several of which would implement the Republicans' 'all-of-the-above' energy strategy to address rising gas prices and help create jobs.’ Speaker Boehner calls out the president, saying he ‘assured leaders in Congress there was room for common ground’ but instead, he blocked the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline along with the project's potential jobs. ‘So today I'm challenging President Obama to make good on his rhetoric and urge the Senate to allow a vote on bipartisan, House-passed energy bills,’ Boehner declares. ‘Let's seize on our own common ground and move forward on a path to a real 'all-of-the-above' energy strategy.’” (“Boehner Calls on Obama to ‘Make Good’ on Energy Rhetoric,” ABC News Radio, 3/31/12)
“CONTINUED A REPUBLICAN THEME OF BLAMING THE ADMINISTRATION FOR HIGH GASOLINE PRICES.” “In the Republican address, House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner complained the Obama administration is not doing enough to increase oil and gas production on federal lands. He called for a freeze in new regulations on refineries. Boehner also continued a Republican theme of blaming the administration for high gasoline prices.” (Voice of America, 3/31/12)
“BOEHNER SAID OBAMA HAS NOT DONE ENOUGH TO KEEP GAS PRICES FROM RISING.” “Speaker John Boehner called on President Barack Obama to support an ‘all-of-the-above energy strategy’ in the Republican weekly address today. … Expanding on a theme that Republicans intend to push over the two-week recess, Boehner said Obama has not done enough to keep gas prices from rising, pointing the administration’s decision against the Keystone XL oil pipeline. ‘The Senate has stalled dozens of House-passed bills, several of which would implement the Republicans’ all-of-the-above energy strategy to address rising gas prices and help create jobs,’ Boehner said. He called on Obama to push the Senate to vote on those bills and new proposals to increase oil drilling on federal lands and freeze new regulations on oil refineries. ‘The House is doing its part, but we can do a whole lot more if President Obama steps up and heeds the will of the American people,’ the Speaker said.” (“Boehner Criticizes Obama Energy Policy,” Roll Call, 3/31/12)
“CALLS FOR OBAMA TO ‘STEP UP’” “Speaker matches up against POTUS in weekly video address, calls for Obama to ‘step up’ on energy.” (“Boehner Challenges Bam,” The Page, 3/31/12)