Late Thursday afternoon, GOP Conference Vice Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05) hosted a call with Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (CA-22) and Congressman Steve Scalise (LA-01), to discuss the House Republicans’ Plans for Energy and Jobs.
Opening with “[g]as prices and jobs are key to economic recovery; the more that we can do to unleash American energy, the more jobs we will create,” Rep. McMorris Rodgers propounds a simple and elegant solution for a widespread problem. The Congresswoman continued to rail against Democrats’ policies. “There’s something wrong when the Administration says 'no' to more American Energy.”
Majority Whip McCarthy added that the President’s announcement, to release 30 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, will only supply the nation with 36 hours worth of oil. “At least the President is acknowledging that supply is related to price,” commented Rep. Steve Scalise, a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and HEAT. Rep. Scalise has criticized the Obama administration’s energy policies in the past.
Throughout the call, the participants voiced their exasperation with current policies that preclude Americans from producing more energy, drilling for oil offshore, and working with Canada, the largest supplier of Oil to the U.S., to allow for the construction of the Keystone Pipeline. The Representatives were rightfully critical of the EPA which has hampered U.S. energy efforts in the past and serves as another obstacle to cheaper gas and job creation.
Frustrations abound throughout the U.S. at the price of gas as unemployment reaches over 9 percent. In this vein, House Speaker John Boehner commented on Thursday on how House Republicans will continue to work to increase domestic energy production to create jobs and lower gas prices. Republicans are calling for more energy and jobs and are waiting for the Democrats to answer.