House Republicans will be back on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives again Monday to continue the unprecedented protest that began last Friday, when dozens of Republicans joined hundreds of American citizens on the House floor to protest Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) decision to send Congress home for the rest of the summer without a vote on legislation to lower gas prices and move America toward energy independence.
In an urgent memo sent to GOP Members and staff Saturday (“A Call to Action on American Energyâ€), Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) and Whip Roy Blunt (R-MO) hailed Friday’s action, which was led by Reps. Mike Pence (R-IN), Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA), Tom Price (R-GA), and others, and encouraged House Republicans to return to the Capitol beginning Monday morning to help keep the historic effort going.
“It’s not a request we make lightly. But the American people are suffering,†Boehner and Blunt said in the memo. “The consequences of continued congressional inaction on gas prices are unacceptable. We’ve called on the Speaker to call Congress back into an emergency session this month and schedule a vote on the American Energy Act. We must continue to make a stand until the Speaker complies.â€
“We realize not everyone can be in Washington next week. But if you can be, we ask that you come to the Capitol, join our colleagues, and lend your voice, beginning this Monday at 10:00 am,†the GOP leaders wrote. “If you can’t be in Washington, we ask that you contribute to the cause in other ways – such as spreading the word among your constituents, writing an op-ed for your local newspaper, or taking our ‘all of the above’ energy message to your local airwaves.â€
“Republicans stand with the American people. We share their passion and determination for energy independence, and we’ve pledged to fight boldly until Congress heeds their will,†Boehner and Blunt concluded.
Everyone was wondering if Friday was a one shot deal by the GOP, then off to vacation land. Now we know. Good for them.
I wonder how much coverage they will receive? Hopefully, they have some media lined up, and have their laptops, cell phones, and video cameras charged up. Perhaps one of them could hook up a webcam to take in the whole thing live.
Meanwhile, Queen Nancy was on ABC with George Stephanoppulos, and did not do so well. She deflected all over the place as he repeatedly asked her about drilling, and allowing a vote. This part I love
STEPHANOPOULOS: But why not allow votes on all that? When you came in as Speaker you promised in your commitment book “A New Direction for America,” let me show our viewers, you said that “Bills should generally come to the floor under a procedure that allows open, full, fair debate consisting of full amendment process that grants the Minority the right to offer its alternatives.†If they want to offer a drilling proposal, why can’t they have a vote?
PELOSI: They’ll have to use their imagination as to how they can get a vote and then they may get a vote. What I am trying to, we have serious policy issues in our country. The President of the United States has presented this but for this our economy would be booming. But for this, gas would be cheaper at the pump. It’s simply not true. Even the President himself in his statement yesterday and before then has said, there is no quick fix for this by drilling.
No, there is no quick fix. Except that even the possibility of drilling brings down gas prices. Two weeks ago gas was averaging around $4 here in Raleigh, now you can easily find it around $3.83 or less. Just because President Bush rescinded the presidential block on offshore drilling.
Does Nancy have another idea? Perhaps she should put it forth.
PS: You won’t believe who inspired this. Nancy is not going to be happy with a certain Messiah.
