Kim Reynolds: “First, the gentleman and I agree. There should be an energy policy. This House had ample debate on an energy policy. The…”

“First, the gentleman and I agree. There should be an energy policy. This House had ample debate on an energy policy. The other body had ample debate on an energy policy. And then we came together as we sent our conferees with the other body's conferees and we came together with a hammered agreement between the two bodies. The House passed that agreement and the House bills were met with the Democratic minority's obstructionism in the other body. And if we would have had a comprehensive energy policy in 2001, we would not have some of the problems we have here today. The average price of a gallon of gasoline has increased by 52 percent, from $1.34 a gallon in 2001 to $2.05 today. U.S. imports of oil have increased by more than 10 percent. The price of a barrel of oil increased by 74 percent from just over $23 a barrel in 2001 to more than $40 a barrel today, all while the Senate obstructionism on the Democratic side held up an ample debate of the conference committee report. The cost of home heating oil, which has a real impact to the Northeast where I come from, has increased by more than 33 percent since 2001.”