Time to Get to Work

Op-Ed

Straight Talk With Sam

Time to Get to Work

With gas prices straining the budgets of Missouri's families and small businesses, now is not the time for Congress to take a vacation. Congress should not rest until we pass a long term solution to our energy crisis. That is why I am heading back to Congress this week to call on Nancy Pelosi to bring Congress back to work so we can address our energy crisis.

Missourians cannot wait while Washington plays political games. While House Leadership decided to go on vacation, world demand, fueled by the growth of China and India, continues to rise. In fact, demand in China and India is expected to rise by 240 million barrels this year and is only expected to increase in the future. In the face of rising world demand, we must act now to increase our domestic energy supply and secure our energy future.

Instead of voting on half measures and non-solutions we need to be doing everything we can to bring down the price of gas. We need to open up drilling in Alaska and off the Coastal Shelf. We need to invest in alternative fuels like bio-diesel, ethanol, and wind. We also need to start building more refineries and nuclear power plants. To break our dependence on foreign oil it will take an all of the above strategy. We must pursue all options.

That is why I am going back to Washington and telling Speaker Pelosi to get back to work. Missourians cannot afford to wait.

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