Kathy Castor: “The reformers in this Congress are working for solutions and are casting aside the politics of the past, and for the…”

“The reformers in this Congress are working for solutions and are casting aside the politics of the past, and for the first time in a decade, they are setting the right priorities for American families. See, American families are caught in this very unfortunate Bush economy that is squeezing them, whether it's health care, the rising cost of housing, and, of course, gas prices. This New Direction Congress, led by Democrats, is on the side of middle class families, and we are responding to their call for change in the direction of this country. But, Madam Speaker, it has not been easy. A number of times we have stood up to the administration to repeal the massive subsidies to the big oil companies and instead take that money and invest it in new renewable energies and biofuel technologies because one of the most promising ways to end our dependence on foreign oil is in the creation of renewable energy sources. But we were blocked by the White House and Big Oil. But we are not going to give up. If we had given up, the reformers in this Congress would not have been able to push through the first increase in fuel economy standards in over 30 years. The increase of 35 miles per gallon for each automobile will save American families $700 to $1,000 at the pump when fully implemented.”