Bart Stupak: “at the end of this week, the House Republican leadership will once again leave town for another recess without seriously…”

“at the end of this week, the House Republican leadership will once again leave town for another recess without seriously addressing our Nation's energy crisis. House Republicans have trumpeted this week as Energy Week. You would think if they were really serious about tackling this crisis we would spend the entire week debating a comprehensive energy proposal that would end our reliance on foreign oil and foster new energy technologies. Instead, we get more of the same from the Republican leadership. Energy Week has turned into Energy Day, a debate on one bill that would allow oil and gas companies to drill on the Outer Continental Shelf off both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Drilling off our coasts is not only environmentally and economically risky, but it is not possible for another 7 years. How is that supposed to help consumers today? The answer is that it is not. House Republicans are only interested in lining the pocketbooks of the oil and gas companies. If House Republicans were serious about addressing our energy crisis, the House would debate my legislation that would reduce the price of a barrel of oil by $20. Instead, we spend 1 day on a bill that does nothing to assist Americans with the high cost of energy. ____________________”