Americans Speak Up

AMERICANS SPEAK UP -- (House of Representatives - June 23, 2008)

(Mr. WILSON of South Carolina asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Madam Speaker, Americans are speaking up about rising gas prices.

The polls show that well over 60 to 70 percent of Americans support exploration of American oil and natural gas reserves, and we are seeing a vocal outpouring of disappointment in Washington's refusal to take action.

For example, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich has put a petition on his Web site asking Americans to send a message to Washington that we need to ``Drill Here, Drill Now, and Pay Less.'' As of today, the petition has over 1.1 million signatures. Surely this is only a snapshot of the millions more in America who are feeling the pinch from rising energy prices. That is the bad news.

The good news is that House Republicans have a plan to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, invest in a future of renewable, cleaner energy resources, and ask the American people to participate through conservation. We have a plan, and the American people have the will to put that plan into action if House Democrats stop standing in the way.

In conclusion, God bless our troops, and we will never forget September the 11th.

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