The Toll of Rising
Gas Prices
Posted by Congressman Buck McKeon at 7:17 am on May 05,
2011
This has been a historic
week in America, with the capture and demise of the mastermind behind the
attacks of September Eleventh, Osama bin Laden. The news has spread
across the globe, and we have all become even more keenly aware and grateful
for the masterful work of our armed forces, which stand to serve and protect
us. They’ve illustrated the American resolve to never give up, no matter
how difficult the fight.
I think the same applies
to the American will to improve our nation’s economy. As we celebrate a
symbolic victory for national security, Congress is still working on behalf of
the people in our districts to draft common sense policies to boost economic
growth, create more jobs, and — with gas prices over $4 a gallon nationwide —
we are also considering legislation to increase domestic energy production and
lower the cost of gasoline.
Increasing gas prices can
take a toll on the daily lives of our families, friends, and colleagues.
When gas prices spike, it can severely shift and destroy pre-set and often
well-planned household budgets. It can create choices none of us want or
should have to make, like choosing between buying groceries or filling up the
car with gas for the drive to and from work. To some, gas prices may seem
like a small matter when we are looking across the spectrum of national
security, education, health, and environment issues, but gas price increases
take a serious toll on low and middle-income Americans just trying to make ends
meet. Price increases don’t just affect the price at the pump; they
impact the cost of all delivery items, grocery bills, travel plans, and whether
or not we put our children in extracurricular activities, which may require
driving, and other daily life activities. There is a snowball effect that
is created when gas prices balloon unexpectedly.
America has an abundance
of energy resources. Unfortunately, the U.S. Department of Interior has
legally obstructed access to much of what is available to us.
Because of this, in the past several years, the price of a gallon of gasoline
has nearly doubled.
This week in Congress, we
may be taking up two bills that I have co-sponsored to expand domestic energy
production and combat the skyrocketing gasoline prices Americans are facing at
the pump. As part of House Republicans’ American Energy Initiative,
H.R. 1230, the Restarting American Offshore Leasing Now Act
and H.R. 1229, the Putting the Gulf Back to Work Act, will
create American jobs, lower gas prices and reduce our dependency on unstable
foreign oil.
The Restarting American
Offshore Leasing Now Act would require the Administration to move forward
promptly to conduct offshore lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico and offshore
Virginia that the Administration has previously delayed or cancelled.
The Putting the Gulf
Back to Work Act would end the Administration’s de facto moratorium in the
Gulf of Mexico in a safe, responsible, transparent manner by setting firm
timelines for considering permits to drill. It reforms current law by
requiring the Secretary to issue a permit to drill and also requiring the
Secretary to conduct a safety review.
While those two bills will
be addressed this week in Congress, I have also co-sponsored H.R. 1231, the Reversing
President Obama’s Offshore Moratorium Act will also lift the President’s
ban on new offshore drilling by requiring the Administration to move forward on
American energy production in areas containing the most oil and natural gas
resources.
Drilling must be conducted
with the utmost care for our environment. Offshore drilling should be part of a
much larger policy, including fuel alternatives, to achieve energy
independence. While doing this, we must be diligent in enforcing laws to
prevent another disaster, like the British Petroleum disaster in the Gulf of
Mexico, in a safe and responsible manner.
This brings us full circle
to protecting and efficiently utilizing our resources, which in turn, will take
the immense pressure of my constituents, Californians, and Americans working to
make ends meet, who are suffering through unexpected price jumps at the
pump. Additionally, passage of these legislative attempts to tackle the
American energy production issue could create 250,000 jobs short-term and 1.2
million jobs long-term, according to Dr. Joseph Mason, economist and professor
at Louisiana State University.
America must address the issue of energy production
in order to improve our economic standing. Reliance on foreign energy is not an
option. Addressing this issue fully will ultimately be reflected in gas
prices and will be passed on to the very people we represent. Let’s halt
the toll rising gas prices is having on American families and small businesses.
