Administration's
Response to High Fuel Prices
is Too Little, Too
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July 10,
2000 |
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The expected relaxation and family
fun of a summer vacation are being overshadowed this year by a
painful experience along the road — rising gas
prices.
Even more frustrating is that this pinch to the pocketbook may have
been preventable. This past spring, Energy Secretary Bill
Richardson promised that gas prices would not exceed $2 a
gallon. Yet many parts of the country have seen prices above
and beyond this point.
This administration has not been successful in keeping its promises
when it comes to reducing the "pain" at the pump. The reason
we’re enduring rising gas prices is because of our dependence on
foreign oil. We’re importing nearly 60 percent of what we
need, and the Administration has done nothing to reverse this
trend.
Adding insult to injury, the President and Vice President have
offered weak and vague solutions to the problem. In fact, this
administration has worked against virtually every sector of our
energy industry, either through misguided regulations or additional
forces.
For several years now, I’ve
pushed a number of proposals to boost our oil and gas production
here at home. I recently pulled some of these proposals
together into a comprehensive plan geared around the development and
stewardship of our natural resources, including oil and gas.
Called The National Energy Security Act of 2000, this plan will
provide tax credits and incentives for many resources, while
studying the feasibility of alternatives.
This plan would decrease our
dependence on other countries while utilizing what we have at
home. It would also take a step toward making sure we have a
solid, reliable supply of energy under our control.
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