Congressman McCaul to Return to Washington with Gas Receipts, Message for Speaker Pelosi

TOMBALL, TX - Congressman Michael McCaul (R-TX10) will deliver gas receipts and a resounding message from frustrated drivers to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi when he returns to Washington Thursday. He spent the first day of the August recess collecting the receipts, hoping they will help convince Pelosi to finally allow a vote on comprehensive energy legislation to lower gas prices. In Austin, Brenham and Tomball drivers gave Rep. McCaul dozens of receipts, one totaling more than $130. Most agreed with his balanced proposal to increase American-made energy.

"Nancy Pelosi is the one person standing between Americans and lower gas prices," said Congressman McCaul. "Pelosi and her party control what we vote on in Washington. I hope that my constituents sending messages to her on the back of $100 gas receipts finally makes her realize that $4 gas is too expensive."

Congressman McCaul hopes that his grass roots efforts in the district, in conjunction with fellow Republicans remaining at the Capitol during the recess, will persuade Speaker Pelosi to call an emergency session during the recess to vote on this issue. After stops at gas stations in the district Congressman McCaul will return to Washington to join his Republican colleagues and personally deliver the receipts to Speaker Pelosi’s office.

"My constituents have spoken and I will make sure their voices are heard," Rep. McCaul said.

American Made Energy

Congressman McCaul has long supported an "all of the above" approach to increasing American-made energy and lowering gas prices. He most recently sponsored the American Energy Act which balances environmentally responsible drilling for oil and natural gas in areas that are currently off limits with the need to develop alternative energy such as wind, solar, hybrid, nuclear and clean coal.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, such a plan that gives America energy independence long-term would still lower gas prices short-term. Failing to increase domestic supply keeps the U.S. dependent on countries that know they can charge a premium.

Relief Denied
Democrats shut down the House for the five week recess Friday without allowing a vote on comprehensive energy legislation since their party took control of Congress in January 2007. That month gas sold for $2.33 per gallon. Since this past February, when gas climbed above $3, Democrats had 70 working days in Washington to allow such a vote, but did not.

Pelosi and the Democrats have gone to such lengths to avoid a vote on comprehensive energy reform that they failed to pass a single appropriations bill before August for the first time since the 1950’s. An appropriations bill would be open to amendments and would have allowed Republicans to force a vote on a comprehensive energy strategy that Democrats know they would lose.

"What is so frustrating is that we have bipartisan support for a solution that would increase American-made energy and lower gas prices," said Congressman McCaul. "Families are suffering. Businesses are suffering. The vast majority of Americans say they want this done. Yet Nancy Pelosi is still standing in the way."

Relief Demanded

Upon adjournment Friday, Republican leaders signed a letter to Speaker Pelosi demanding that she call an emergency session to vote on bills that would lower gas prices. Monday, Congressman McCaul discussed energy policy with drivers and echoed that call hoping to mount pressure on Speaker Pelosi from both the Capitol and from the grass roots level.

Quick Facts

• 80% - the amount of oil the U.S. imports (10 million barrels per day)
• 1.127 trillion - total barrels of oil in "off limits" areas (ANWR, OCS)
• 91% - number of House Republicans since the early 1990’s that have voted to increase domestic production
• 86% - number of House Democrats since the early 1990’s that have voted against increased domestic production

• 2030 - in that year the U.S. will still rely on oil for most of its energy needs despite alternative energy development
• 2/3 - estimated number of Americans who say they favor increased domestic drilling to lower gas prices
• $2.33 - price of a gallon of regular unleaded when Democrats gained control of Congress in January 2007