I get the same feeling each time I visit a gas station these days. As I fill my car’s tank, I get a cramp in my stomach as the price on the pump ticks higher and higher with each visit. I drive away from the gas station and that cramp quickly turns in to anger and frustration when I think about how Washington and Congress have provided absolutely no leadership or solutions on our energy crisis.

Gasoline, diesel, propane, heating oil and natural gas prices are at price levels never seen before in our history. The response to this crisis in Congress has been an abundance of partisan bickering and finger pointing but no plan of action.

As this crisis grows I think of Iowa families just like my daughter Jennifer’s family… with her husband and their two children and how the record prices at the pump are literally decreasing her family’s monthly income. Iowans are fed up. And they should be, because their leaders in Washington have absolutely failed them on this issue. Congress and our leadership need a wake-up call. It is time that Washington learns that finger pointing and partisan bickering will do nothing to lower the price of gasoline by a single penny.

While I have always been a strong supporter of alternative energy research and production in wind, solar, hydrogen fuel cell and other renewable initiatives we need to turn our attention to increasing our domestic supply of affordable fuel that gets Iowans from point A to point B without busting their family budget. We need affordable diesel to transport goods across Iowa and allow farmers to run their tractors. We need affordable natural gas for fertilizer and propane for rural homes.

I believe we need to get back to basics on energy. And, we must start with reminding Congress of the simple economic principle that when supply of a product increases prices drop. I am supporting a comprehensive legislative plan where the main focus is to reduce the price of gas and fuel. The plan accomplishes this by opening new American oil refineries. We will open the outer continental shelf for responsible energy exploration. We will invest in alternative and renewable energies such as wind and solar. We will also look here at home for traditional sources of energy, but only as long as those sources of energy can be harnessed in a clean, safe and responsible manner.

This plan is written and ready for a vote now by Congress. No more excuses, bickering… no more finger pointing! This plan is real action on behalf of American families who have waited long enough for real solutions and only been given empty promises.

Frustrated with Congress and Washington’s inaction on record energy prices, I became one of the original signers of a new energy declaration for the country last week. The declaration outlines bi-partisan concerns regarding the dependent nature of America’s energy supply on foreign nations and declares that Congress act quickly to enact a comprehensive energy bill.

Americans are rightfully fed up because their leaders in Washington have absolutely failed them on this issue. Gasoline, diesel, propane, heating oil and natural gas prices are at price levels never seen before in our history and our families are hurting over this. Congress and our leadership in Washington need a wake up call and must act to decrease our dependence on foreign oil and safely and responsibly increase the supply of energy resources that we control here at home.

This entry was posted on Monday, June 30th, 2008 at 1:27 pm and is filed under Politics .