Ted Poe: “as gasoline prices rise higher at the pump, the American driver is mad and the Congress blames the oil companies. But…”

“as gasoline prices rise higher at the pump, the American driver is mad and the Congress blames the oil companies. But the real culprit is Congress. Gasoline prices are rising because Congress fails to have an energy policy that encourages the development of our own resources. Instead of making it easier to obtain crude oil, Congress has decided to subsidize the special interest groups to produce unproven, unreliable, and expensive alternative fuels, like corn-based ethanol, which now may pollute the environment more than first realized. Not to mention this idea is bad for land management and increases the cost of agricultural products. So now we have high gasoline prices and higher prices for corn products worldwide, thanks to Congress. We are the only industrial power in the world that refuses to take advantage of its own energy resources. Congress should lift the absurd restrictions on offshore drilling, allow drilling in ANWR and stop the expensive, unnecessary regulations. This will increase production, supply, and lower costs. Otherwise, we will continue to be held hostage by third world dictators, like Chavez, and the cost of crude oil will continue to grow. And that's just the way it is.”