Friday, March 2, 2012
During his weekly video address, Senator Chuck Grassley discusses the need to increase production of domestic energy to help lower gas prices and create jobs. Along with other senators, he's urging President Obama to examine his policies that contribute to higher gas prices, including restricting access to federal lands and permitting delays, regulatory threats to refiners, and his Keystone XL pipeline decision.
Click here for audio.
Here is text of the address:
Along with other senators, I wrote to President Obama this week asking him to examine his policies that contribute to rising gas prices -- such as:
- restricting access to federal lands and permitting delays,
- regulatory threats to refiners,
- and his Keystone XL pipeline decision.
A lot of factors impact the price of oil - including OPEC decisions and Mideast turmoil -- but the Obama Administration has made things worse. By limiting domestic energy production, we have less supply and higher prices.
Last year, consumers spent a greater percentage of household income on gasoline than any other year since 1981.
- Paying $4 or more for gas acts like a hidden tax on individuals and families.
- Rising energy prices also get in the way of job creation by raising costs of doing business for employers.
Americans need a comprehensive approach that:
- ramps up domestic production of traditional energy,
- allows the expansion of alternative and renewable energy sources,
- and encourages conservation.
Greater domestic energy production would increase supply and help to lower prices, and it would create American jobs.
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