Angie Craig: “we are beginning this week again debating a national energy policy for our country, an issue whose time clearly has…”

“we are beginning this week again debating a national energy policy for our country, an issue whose time clearly has come, an issue that should have been resolved well over a year ago, but because of the difficulties and differences of approach, that was an impossible resolution. I will never forget the day I met in our majority leader's office with the then-elect President George Bush. He had not yet taken the oath of office. He was not yet our President. While he talked about a lot of his campaign promises and the priorities he would bring with his leadership in the Presidency, he said at that time--and honored it immediately when he became President--first and foremost for this country was the desperate need for a national energy policy. He, of course, upon becoming President, assigned Vice President Dick Cheney to build a task force and make recommendations to Congress, proposals that should be contained within a national energy policy for our country. Let's remember, it was not a decade ago. It was not 30 years ago.…”