Roy Blunt: “when George W. Bush was running for president six years ago, he said that our country had been without a comprehensive…”

“when George W. Bush was running for president six years ago, he said that our country had been without a comprehensive energy policy for a decade. We are now going on sixteen years with no energy plan for America, and it is not for lack of trying. The House of Representatives has passed Energy legislation four times, only to have the bills die in the Senate because of partisan politicking. Keeping the lights on should not be a partisan issue. Filling up a gas tank should not be a partisan issue. Madam Chairman, gas prices are at an all-time high. I want to thank Chairman Joe Barton for working with me to include a provision in this bill to curb the production of boutique fuel blends and address this issue head-on. The current gasoline supply includes specially formulated, boutique fuels which are required by law in certain communities. When supplies are limited, gas prices rise quickly--sometimes overnight. For example: Missourians can fill their gas tanks up in Springfield and drive 3 hours to St. Louis. When they get there, they'll be filling their tanks up with a completely different type of gasoline. But if St. Louis ever runs short on their boutique fuel, gas stations there can't sell what consumers could buy back in Springfield. The energy bill we will vote on tomorrow caps the number of these special fuel blends and allows communities faced with a shortage due to unforeseen circumstances, such as a refinery fire, a waiver to use conventional gasoline.…”