Saxby Chambliss: “I rise today to speak about our Nation's energy policy, or, frankly, our lack thereof. Georgians, as well as folks all…”

“I rise today to speak about our Nation's energy policy, or, frankly, our lack thereof. Georgians, as well as folks all across America, are shocked every time they pull up to a gas pump, both at the price of gas per gallon and at the jaw-dropping cost each time they fill up their tanks. With rising food prices and a stagnant economy, skyrocketing gas prices could not come at a worse time. This situation illustrates why it is imperative for Congress to focus on creating a policy to expand and diversify our energy sources so the American people are no longer held hostage by prices at the pump. The necessity of congressional action has become all too clear as we watch gas prices climb and unrest spread throughout the Middle East, potentially threatening major sources of energy we import. It highlights the fact that we cannot afford to keep sending hundreds of billions of dollars per year to foreign countries--many of which are not America's friends--to meet our energy needs. It poses a threat to our national security and further harms our Nation's struggling economy. This week we are considering two pieces of legislation that both deal with domestic production of oil and gas: the Reid proposal that aimed to stifle it, and one introduced by Leader McConnell that increases offshore production while improving the safety of offshore drilling operations.…”