Williams Says Democrats' Vote on Releasing Oil from Strategic Reserves is Consistent with Do Nothing Congress

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Williams Says Democrats' Vote on Releasing Oil from Strategic Reserves is Consistent with Do Nothing Congress

Republican congressional candidate Craig Williams criticized Democrats for posturing in the U.S. House of Representatives today to drawdown the Strategic Petroleum Reserves, calling it a political ploy to divert attention from Congress's inaction on allowing domestic drilling off the continental shelf and in the Arctic tundra.

"Here we go again," said Williams. "In the last few weeks, Democrats told us that we did not need to drill because the oil companies were not making use of their current leases. Now the American public knows that is not true. Today, the Democrats want to draw down a three-day supply of our emergency reserves to make a nominal and temporary dent in the price of gasoline. It is a political placebo, designed to make people feel better while accomplishing nothing at all. And the Democrats brought this up under a Suspension of the Rules that prohibited any Republican amendments to offer real and lasting energy solutions. Political games -- that is the Democrat answer to our economic suffering."

"If they were sincere about real solutions, Democrats would have brought this bill up through the normal legislative process and allowed Members of Congress to offer amendments on issues like off shore drilling and drilling in the Arctic," said Williams. "Those are solutions for the long-term, not just temporary blips in gas prices. Republicans in Congress already said they had the votes to pass this legislation if it included an amendment on off-shore drilling. But the Democrat leadership won't bring real energy bills up for a vote through the normal process, because they know the majority of Congress wants real change in energy policy."

"This is part of the Democrats' ‘block and blame' strategy - block us from drilling for American oil and blame everyone else for the energy crisis," said Williams. "On the bright side, it is good to see that the Democrats are finally admitting that we have an oil supply problem in this nation. Hopefully the need to allow domestic drilling will be their next realization."

Craig Williams is running for Congress the 7th Congressional District of Pennsylvania, comprising most of Delaware County and parts of Montgomery and Chester Counties. Williams is a former federal prosecutor, Marine combat veteran, and former active duty Deputy Legal Counsel to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He lives in Concord Township, Delaware County, with his wife Jennifer, daughter and two step-children. The 7th District is his home - where he lives, where his kids go to school, where he pays taxes, where he attends church, and where he intends to spend the rest of his life.

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