NUNNELEE: "Higher gas prices have become a cruel tax on all Americans"

(Washington, D.C.) -- May 12, Congressman Alan Nunnelee (R-Miss) made the following statement on the House floor regarding three key Republican energy initiatives that will create jobs and put an end to the increased gas prices that are straining budgets and compromising our energy security.

"This morning in Tupelo, Mississippi, Whiteside's Restaurant is quiet. The lights are turned off, tables around which coffee and conversation have flowed freely, a place where I've enjoyed many a great meals, is quiet this morning and on the front door there's a sign that simply says, 'Due to the economy and Uncle Sam, Whiteside's is closed'.

Donna Whiteside said that the driving force in her closing her business was higher taxes, increased gas prices and a sluggish economy.

Higher gas prices have become a cruel tax on all Americans. Donna Whiteside saw it as her customers had shrinking disposable incomes because of higher gas prices.

Donna Whiteside saw that the costs of her groceries were going up because of higher gas prices.

What's not helping Americans get relief at the pump is the stalling energy production by this Administration. Since taking office, President Obama has actively delayed, blocked and stalled American energy production -- and the American people are sick of these stalling tactics. That's why the House of Representatives is concentrating on three key initiatives that will reverse the Obama Administration's policies that are hurting families and small businesses, that are destroying jobs and that are increasing our reliance on foreign oil.

Last week the House passed the Restarting American Offshore Leasing Now Act that will require the Secretary of the Interior to conduct oil and natural gas lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico and offshore Virginia that have been delayed or canceled by this Administration.

In fact, if we don't have an oil lease this year, it will be the first time in my lifetime that the American public has not had that.

Yesterday the House voted on the Put the Gulf Back to Work Act. Since the drilling moratorium was officially lifted in October, the Administration has chosen to drag their feet and stall the permitting process in the Gulf. Twelve rigs have already left the Gulf for other regions taking hundreds, and even thousands of jobs with them -- and this steady decline in oil and natural gas production is costing the United States $4.7 million dollars every day in lost revenues.

This act speeds up the drilling permitting process and will put thousands of Americans back to work.

Today we'll vote on the Reversing President Obama's Offshore Moratorium Act. The Administration's actions have placed the Atlantic Coast, the Pacific Coast, and areas of Alaska off limits -- and this act will implement a smart drilling plan requiring the Administration to move forward on American energy production in areas containing the most oil and natural gas resources.

In North Mississippi, we're working, leading the way toward helping our nation become energy secure.

All three of these bills combined could create up to 1.2 million jobs that will generate revenue that our nation needs -- and it will put us on the path to achieving energy security of more American oil, more natural gas, clean coal, nuclear energy and new technologies such as wind and solar.

Donna Whiteside, and the thousands of American businesses and families around America, you need to know that the House of Representatives is listening to you. The House Republican American Energy Initiatives will free the American people from the Obama Administration's stalling games if the Senate will consider, and pass these legislations, it will put an end to higher gas prices that are straining budgets and compromising our energy security."

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[FirebirdCamaro1220]

increased drilling won't lower gas prices, the extra oil will all be sold to China, India and Brazil. what could work is if the big 3 and the japanese big 4 (Honda, Toyota, Nissan and Mazda) doubled the mpg of our new vehicle fleet, that would reduce demand by half in probably 5-10 years time, and the prices are based off of supply and demand. we need to lower demand, not increase supply, because we won't see one fluid oz of increased supply