Mr. Speaker, as of this morning, Rhode Islanders are paying an average of $2.94 per gallon of regular gasoline.  That’s nearly forty cents more than they were paying a month ago, and seventy cents more than a year ago. 

Last year, Congress passed an energy bill, which I opposed because it gave away billions of tax dollars to oil and gas companies, instead of investing in new technologies, alternative fuels and energy efficiency. 

As it turns out, oil and gas prices have gone up since we passed the Republican energy bill.  Do you know what else has gone up?  The profits of oil and gas companies.

Now the Republican majority is proposing even more giveaways to the oil and gas industry by handing over federal lands to open refineries and by opening up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.  Enough is enough.  We cannot simply drill our way out of this crisis.  Growing demand from China and India is going to keep the cost of oil high for years to come, and subsidies to the oil and gas industry won’t change that.  We need new leadership that will promote an energy policy that encourages new technologies, energy efficiency, and creates American jobs.