Political Quotes

“Madam President, I am happy to come to the floor today to join my colleague the Senator from Alaska, Mr. Sullivan, as well as my colleague from Kansas, to talk about where we are with this administration or where, unfortunately, we aren't when it comes to prioritizing American-made energy. As has been noted here on the floor by my colleagues, the President has just returned from the Middle East. It wasn't for a sightseeing trip; it was really all about oil. He was talking about oil. Above all, the President made that trip to ask the leaders of several foreign nations, members of OPEC, to increase their production levels. OK, we get it. Gasoline prices are way too high. We know that. We have hit national records in recent weeks. They are averaging right now about $5.32 a gallon in my State. That is actually down a little bit from where we were last month, but it is up over 50 percent from where we were last year. As has been said repeatedly, and we don't need to say it here on the floor of the Senate, people are feeling it in their homes. They are feeling it in their pocketbooks. Families are. Businesses are. Whether you are in places like Anchorage or Fairbanks, your budgets are stretched thinner and thinner and thinner. It is increasingly difficult for small tourist operations, whether you are trying to take people out on sightseeing trips in the air or on the water. Our fishing fleets have to fill up their fishing vessels.…”