Topic: Congress Once Again Passes the buck
in Forum: Humor
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On Gas Prices Congress Once Again Passes the buck
-Congressman Gary G. Miller
With gas prices rising at an alarming rate and American small businesses and families feeling the pain at the pump, Congress must take a leading role in restoring order to our nations energy stability. In recent weeks, the nation has experienced firsthand the devastating effects of our inadequate energy infrastructure and our broken regulatory structure. Congress must work immediately to develop comprehensive measures to fix these shortcomings and lower the price of gas for Americans.
This week, the House had the opportunity to pass meaningful reforms that would help to address this gas price crisis we currently face. Unfortunately, the House passed the buck on reducing gas prices. We need more refineries, and not more window dressing. We need reforms, and we need them now. This week, however, the House failed to act. Instead, the House considered two bills that were already included in a comprehensive energy bill passed last October. That bill is still pending in the Senate. Regrettably, we took this quality bill, divided it into two, and passed the part with no hope of lower gas prices while rejecting the part that would truly impact the price of fuel by increasing refinery capacity.
The bill that passed this week would ask the Federal Trade Commission to start the bureaucratic process of defining price gouging. This process could take months, or even years. But Americans need relief at the pump now. Congress must act immediately, as it has the power to do, rather than pass the buck to bureaucrats. There is no sense in waiting for the cumbersome bureaucratic process to run its course when American consumers are suffering. If price gouging is taking place, it must be addressed head-on and it must be stopped immediately.
When our country is attacked, Congress responds instantaneously. Well, the American peoples wallets are under attack. As responsible stewards of our national energy systems, we must not pass our obligations on to the bureaucrats, but instead act immediately for the benefit of American consumers. In the coming months, Congress will consider additional proposals to promote energy independence and achieve our future energy security. As this process moves forward, I will support only those proposals that act immediately to ease the burden on American businesses and reduce the price of gas for Americas families.
------------------------------------------------------------ House Debates Gas Prices with Mixed Results
The House failed to pass a bill Wednesday that would have streamlined the permit process for new or rebuilt refineries in an effort to increase domestic gasoline production. The problem: The United States has not built a new refinery since the 1970s and must rely on expensive gasoline imports to meet current demand. Congressman Miller supported this measure, which garnered a majority of votes, 237 to 188, but failed to reach the two-thirds needed for passage. A second bill that punishes individuals and companies who illegally manipulate oil and gas prices passed the House, but if signed into law its enforcement could be delayed by months, even years. Instead of defining the term "price gouging," the bill directs bureaucrats to decide what constitutes fraud at the pump, a process that can take years to complete. Congressman Miller, demanding immediate enforcement, voted against the measure, which passed anyway 389 to 34.
C3RVETTE 38843.4723726852
-Congressman Gary G. Miller
With gas prices rising at an alarming rate and American small businesses and families feeling the pain at the pump, Congress must take a leading role in restoring order to our nations energy stability. In recent weeks, the nation has experienced firsthand the devastating effects of our inadequate energy infrastructure and our broken regulatory structure. Congress must work immediately to develop comprehensive measures to fix these shortcomings and lower the price of gas for Americans.
This week, the House had the opportunity to pass meaningful reforms that would help to address this gas price crisis we currently face. Unfortunately, the House passed the buck on reducing gas prices. We need more refineries, and not more window dressing. We need reforms, and we need them now. This week, however, the House failed to act. Instead, the House considered two bills that were already included in a comprehensive energy bill passed last October. That bill is still pending in the Senate. Regrettably, we took this quality bill, divided it into two, and passed the part with no hope of lower gas prices while rejecting the part that would truly impact the price of fuel by increasing refinery capacity.
The bill that passed this week would ask the Federal Trade Commission to start the bureaucratic process of defining price gouging. This process could take months, or even years. But Americans need relief at the pump now. Congress must act immediately, as it has the power to do, rather than pass the buck to bureaucrats. There is no sense in waiting for the cumbersome bureaucratic process to run its course when American consumers are suffering. If price gouging is taking place, it must be addressed head-on and it must be stopped immediately.
When our country is attacked, Congress responds instantaneously. Well, the American peoples wallets are under attack. As responsible stewards of our national energy systems, we must not pass our obligations on to the bureaucrats, but instead act immediately for the benefit of American consumers. In the coming months, Congress will consider additional proposals to promote energy independence and achieve our future energy security. As this process moves forward, I will support only those proposals that act immediately to ease the burden on American businesses and reduce the price of gas for Americas families.
------------------------------------------------------------ House Debates Gas Prices with Mixed Results
The House failed to pass a bill Wednesday that would have streamlined the permit process for new or rebuilt refineries in an effort to increase domestic gasoline production. The problem: The United States has not built a new refinery since the 1970s and must rely on expensive gasoline imports to meet current demand. Congressman Miller supported this measure, which garnered a majority of votes, 237 to 188, but failed to reach the two-thirds needed for passage. A second bill that punishes individuals and companies who illegally manipulate oil and gas prices passed the House, but if signed into law its enforcement could be delayed by months, even years. Instead of defining the term "price gouging," the bill directs bureaucrats to decide what constitutes fraud at the pump, a process that can take years to complete. Congressman Miller, demanding immediate enforcement, voted against the measure, which passed anyway 389 to 34.
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Almost exactly thirty two years ago, I was visiting the major media
companies headquartered in New York City, promoting Project
Independence.
Never heard of it? It was the Nixon Administration's program intended to
reduce our dangerous dependence upon imported oil. America had been
rudely awakened to this dependence when OPEC launched its oil embargo
against us in 1973. Gas lines, odd/even rationing days, theft by siphoning
from car gas tanks, rising inflation and economic stagnation and even
shootings at service stations over supplies were the direct result.
I worked for another six years, under both Republican and Democratic
Presidents, in various versions of what is now the Department of Energy.
One of my main activities/accomplishments was creating films and TV
spots encouraging conservation and alternative forms of energy, like
solar.
Three decades later, here we are as a nation, more dependent today than
ever before on imported oil. Very little of any substance has been done to
address this most critical of all national security issues. Higher overall
mileage requirements for the country's automobile fleet? Sure--but
Americans went out and bought relatively low-mileage SUV's by the
millions, because gas was cheap. The Strategic Petroleum Reserve
program? Laughable--it would amount to nothing more than a Band-Aid
if we have another severe supply disruption like the embargos of '73 and
'79.
Oil shale? Geothermal? Wind farms? Coal gasification? Passive solar?
Heard much about any of those technologies lately--or ever?
Through both Republican and Democratic administrations...alternating
periods of control of the houses of Congress by both parties...economic
recessions and boom times...our nation has failed--utterly--to come to
grips with this issue.
So now we are, quite literally, paying the price for this total and complete
failure of political leadership and our collective national will. It is nothing
short of a national disgrace, and nothing less than a direct threat to our
long-term economic health and our national security.
We've had thirty two years to come to grips with this most vital problem.
Project Independence, anyone?
If anybody believes that we're suddenly going to come to our senses now,
and demand that our elected officials actually summon the courage and
willpower to take the absolutely essential and unavoidable steps that we
must to win back our energy independence.....well, then I've got a very
nice bridge in New York that I could let you have, for just a song...
companies headquartered in New York City, promoting Project
Independence.
Never heard of it? It was the Nixon Administration's program intended to
reduce our dangerous dependence upon imported oil. America had been
rudely awakened to this dependence when OPEC launched its oil embargo
against us in 1973. Gas lines, odd/even rationing days, theft by siphoning
from car gas tanks, rising inflation and economic stagnation and even
shootings at service stations over supplies were the direct result.
I worked for another six years, under both Republican and Democratic
Presidents, in various versions of what is now the Department of Energy.
One of my main activities/accomplishments was creating films and TV
spots encouraging conservation and alternative forms of energy, like
solar.
Three decades later, here we are as a nation, more dependent today than
ever before on imported oil. Very little of any substance has been done to
address this most critical of all national security issues. Higher overall
mileage requirements for the country's automobile fleet? Sure--but
Americans went out and bought relatively low-mileage SUV's by the
millions, because gas was cheap. The Strategic Petroleum Reserve
program? Laughable--it would amount to nothing more than a Band-Aid
if we have another severe supply disruption like the embargos of '73 and
'79.
Oil shale? Geothermal? Wind farms? Coal gasification? Passive solar?
Heard much about any of those technologies lately--or ever?
Through both Republican and Democratic administrations...alternating
periods of control of the houses of Congress by both parties...economic
recessions and boom times...our nation has failed--utterly--to come to
grips with this issue.
So now we are, quite literally, paying the price for this total and complete
failure of political leadership and our collective national will. It is nothing
short of a national disgrace, and nothing less than a direct threat to our
long-term economic health and our national security.
We've had thirty two years to come to grips with this most vital problem.
Project Independence, anyone?
If anybody believes that we're suddenly going to come to our senses now,
and demand that our elected officials actually summon the courage and
willpower to take the absolutely essential and unavoidable steps that we
must to win back our energy independence.....well, then I've got a very
nice bridge in New York that I could let you have, for just a song...
in Forum: Humor
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