T. Gorton: “American consumers are feeling the impact of high oil prices. Obviously, the increase is noticeable at the gas pump, but…”

“American consumers are feeling the impact of high oil prices. Obviously, the increase is noticeable at the gas pump, but it also is being felt in less visible ways through increases in the cost of goods and services as airline prices and shipping costs escalate. I have stated, in no uncertain terms, that I consider responsibility for the current situation largely to lie at the feet of the Clinton-Gore Administration. Thanks to nearly eight years of their short-sighted policies, we are increasingly dependent on foreign oil. To make matters worse, not only does the Clinton-Gore Administration not have any clear plan to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, they actually appear to be moving in the opposite direction, seeming at every turn making it more difficult to develop domestic energy sources, whether it be gasoline, petroleum products, coal, oil, or hydropower. As it is largely through the bungling efforts of the current Administration that we are in this situation, I believe it is appropriate that the U.S. Senate counterbalance their efforts with some modest relief.”