Washington, Jul 17, 2008 -

Today, Congressman John Sullivan joined several of his House colleagues in sending a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi calling on House Democrats to focus on real energy solutions and to allow Congress an up or down vote on legislation to increase the supply of American-made energy. 

Included in the letter are eight specific legislative proposals that will help put America on a path to energy security. Congressman Sullivan was proud to introduce H.R. 6131, a common sense solution to help our airline industry and the Department of Defense suffering from skyrocketing jet fuel costs by providing needed tax credits for alternative aviation fuel blends from American made sources of energy.  The text of the letter is below. 

July 17, 2008

The Honorable Nancy Pelosi
Office of the Speaker
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC   20515

Dear Madam Speaker: 

Your letter to the President urging him to draw down oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve signals your recent recognition that the solution to today’s high energy prices is to increase supply in the market.  That is why we ask that you immediately schedule legislation to allow Members of this body to vote for increasing American supplies of energy. 

As you have come to realize, supply really does affect the price consumers pay at the pump, however, we do not share your optimism that releasing “a small portion” of SPR oil would affect either world oil markets or the price of a gallon of gasoline noticeably.  The three prior instances you cited in which drawing down SPR seemed to alleviate momentary price spikes all involved temporary supply shortages.  That is hardly the case today.  Economists agree that today’s high prices are driven by demand shock, and they also agree that world demand, high as it is today, will only continue growing regardless of what the United States does with SPR.  Successfully attacking this problem requires a sustained increase in American energy production. 

You stated in your letter to the President that “deploying a small portion of the resources in the SPR would provide much needed assistance to American consumers.”  Can you imagine what an act of Congress, signed into law this year, to develop millions of barrels per day in Alaska, the Intermountain West, and in the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf would do?    

Madam Speaker, the more environmentally conscientious countries in the world—from Scandinavia to Japan—have no qualms about developing their own  energy resources, including in the waters off their own coasts.   They understand this basic reality:  withholding oil and gas will not alter world demand.  Withholding oil may only displace production to countries with lower environmental standards than our own. 

The “severe energy price crisis facing millions of Americans,” referenced in your letter compels congressional action.  We have provided a list of some of the many bills introduced this Congress that if enacted would increase supplies and reduce prices for consumers. 

 Access OCS – (HR 6108)
 Access ANWR – (HR 6107)
 Alternative Fuels for Defense and Aviation – (HR 6131)
 Boutique Fuels – (HR 2493)
 Coal-to-Liquids – (HR 2208)
 Develop Oil Shale Resources – (HR 6138)
 Repeal Section 526 of EISA 2007 – (HR 5656)
 Refineries – (HR 6139; HR 2279)

Americans want more energy production here in America, and we urge you to let the will of the American people prevail by permitting the House to vote on whether we will allow more American energy supply.   This is the people’s House.  Let’s take the action our constituents need and demand.   

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