House Republicans Unhappy with Democrats Energy Policy

House Republicans blast Democrats on energy

Nick Snow, a Washington, DC, Correspondent wrote for the oil and gas journal on July 12 that the United States House of Representatives Republicans charged that the "bold action" on energy that Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) promised earlier this year has become "no energy, no action, and all embarrassment."

Snow reports that Congressional House Republican Conference Chairman Adam Putnam of Florida told reporters on July 11, 2007 that Congressional Democrats are "still arguing among themselves, still engaged in intramural spats," although fuel prices continue to rise.

Putnam continued, "They failed to produce a comprehensive plan in the first 6 months of the year. They promised a detailed plan July 4, and still there is no indication that they have anything close to a comprehensive energy plan that produces new energy and lowers prices while making the nation more energy-independent and secure."

Speaker Pelosi and the rest of the Congressional House Democratic leadership declared "energy independence" on June 28, 2007 as they thanked the chairmen of the 11 Energy committees for their work on a broad array of energy measures since January 2007. Congressional Republicans said on July 11, 2007 that Democrats have suppressed dissent.

Former Speaker of the House, republican J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) said pragmatic solutions, such as more gradual motor vehicle fuel economy increases favored by Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman John D. Dingell (D-Va.) and support for coal-to-liquids research proposed by Energy and Air Quality Subcommittee Chairman Rick Boucher (D-Va.), will never reach the floor of the House of Representatives for a vote.

If Democrats can't solve their internal problems and debate doesn't occur until September, former speaker Hastert added, "the promise of the autumn may become the legends of the fall. It may not happen."