Frank Pallone: “today I hope we are one step closer to prying the doors of the White House open in regard to Vice President Cheney's…”

“today I hope we are one step closer to prying the doors of the White House open in regard to Vice President Cheney's Energy Task Force. For 3 years now, the Vice President has done everything he can to keep the records of the Energy Task Force secret. The secret task force developed President Bush's energy policy, a policy that was then made into legislation here in Congress, legislation that is now stalled in the other body. Nevertheless, the end result was bad energy policy. There is no doubt that the energy industry succeeded with its influence during these secret, closed-door meetings in crafting a policy that benefited them rather than benefiting Americans who at the time desperately needed relief from high energy prices. Mr. Speaker, today Americans face high gas prices, but they should not be fooled by claims from congressional Republicans and President Bush that the legislation they pushed would reduce the cost of energy in this country. Instead, the President's plan was nothing more than a payback to the oil and gas industry numbering in the billions of dollars and embedded in tax incentives, loan guarantees, liability protection and research and development. For 3 years, the Vice President has refused to let the American people know who made up this Energy Task Force. For 3 years now, the Vice President has refused to let the American people know how and why the task force came to the conclusions that it did.”