Release Oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve for Immediate Relief at the Pump

RELEASE OIL FROM THE STRATEGIC PETROLEUM RESERVE FOR IMMEDIATE RELIEF AT THE PUMP -- (House of Representatives - July 15, 2008)

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

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, we've heard on both sides today arguments about the energy crisis. The fact is these arguments are why Congress is held in such low esteem. There are just a couple of things that can be done immediately to help people with the price at the pump, and the major thing that can be done is releasing oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. That's been a proven success with President Bush I, President Clinton, and even this President Bush, and yet he refuses.

Why does he refuse? Because it would hurt the profits of the oil companies. And who gave us this President and this Vice President? The oil companies. This is government of the oil companies, by the oil companies, and for the oil companies. And the people of my district are tired of paying this high price.

Twenty years drilling, you might as well think about your child being born today and planning to see them have a car that gets 80 miles to the gallon in 20 years because that's when the oil that might be pumped today in the Outer Shelf would come to be. Immediate relief is releasing oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

Mr. President, I urge you to have compassion for the Americans who can't afford this price of oil.

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