Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong opposition to H.R. 21. A poll was released today that 73 percent of Americans think that the Republican leadership has the wrong priorities, and today we consider a bill which demonstrates how true those poll results are. With this bill, the Republicans are giving a big, wet kiss to Big Oil. They are making it more difficult for families to afford gas at the pump and rewarding Big Oil with record profits. Once again, they are demonstrating they care more about protecting the profits of Big Oil than protecting the wallets of hardworking Americans. This legislation would make it impossible--or nearly impossible--for the President to lower gas prices by tying releases from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to this notion of expanding leasing on Federal lands, which would make it almost impossible, as Mrs. Fletcher explained just moments ago. Linking releases from the reserve to increases in drilling on Federal lands will result in higher prices for Americans and an exacerbation of the climate crisis already facing our country. What is more startling is this isn't even necessary. There are over 9,000 leases available right now where drilling is not taking place. Why? Because Big Oil wants to keep the price up high to maximize their profits and continue to gouge the American consumers. Let's not continue to help them to do that.…”