July 2008

Senator Barack Obama announced his energy plan for the nation in Springfield, MO.  His plan is all of three words:  inflate your tires.  Senator Obama says during this speech that we do not need more oil, we just need more air in our tires.  Senator Obama has been part of the Senate obstructionists who have refused to allow a vote on bipartisan energy legislation to help bring down the cost of gasoline.  To watch Senator Obama discuss his plan to get us off foreign oil and reduce gas prices, see the video below or click here. 

This week the House of Representatives voted 213-212 to go on a five week vacation.  House Republicans were united in their effort to stop this vote.  No Republicans voted in favor of adjournment.  The House Democrats have blocked legislation that would help lower gas prices, and now they have gone as far as leaving town to avoid talking about this important issue.  Rep. Adam Putnam issued a challenge to the Democrats saying, “It’s time Democrats put their boarding passes back in their pockets and get to work by voting on the American Energy Act.”

As a nation, the current energy crisis requires a strategic plan for energy security.  We must work on new solutions to our energy needs that promote increased efficiency and conservation.  However, as a representative of the people I have a responsibility to work on solutions that will address both the short and the long-term needs of my constituents.  The current price of gas is wreaking havoc on families, businesses and governments alike.  This problem is principally a result of demand exceeding supply.  Therefore the only near-term solution available is to increase the available supply of energy by using America’s resources. 

To read the op-ed where the Sierra Club states their belief that “we are better off without cheap gas” click here. 

The Fort Mitchell Fire Department, The Belleview-McVille Fire Protection District and The Glencoe Fire Protection District received over a half million dollars in federal grants this week.  Congressman Davis said in a statement that these grants will go towards “essential equipment, vehicles and protective gear.”  Read more about the fire department grants here.  

The New Hampshire Union Leader called out the House Democrats for their recent energy policies saying that the Democrats lack “even a basic grasp of economic concepts” and instead they are pushing “hair-brained ideas that make no sense.”  The editorial takes the Democrats to task for opposing policies that would result in “lower oil and gas prices.”  The Union Leader quips that the fastest way to lower gas prices may be to “Immediately enroll every Democratic member of Congress in an entry-level economics class.”  To read the entire editorial please click here.

Maysville Community and Technical College received a $399.967.00 grant through the Department of Education’s Strengthening Institutions Program.  The college says they plan to use the grant to improve the quality and accessibility of its distance education programs. 

Congressman Davis stated, “It is wonderful to see Maysville Community and Technical College receive much-needed funding and support from the Department of Education.  The severe impact that gas prices are having in Kentucky makes the focus on distance learning and education programs all the more important and timely.”

To read more about the education grant and the program it will help please click here. 

Leading House and Senate Democrats support increasing U.S. domestic energy production and exploration, yet Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been “sidestepping battles with Republicans over offshore drilling.”  It now appears that she will have to sidestep members of her own party as well. 

House Republicans are crafting pro-production energy legislation that they will seek to bring to a vote before Congress goes home in August.  House Republican Conference Chairman Adam Putman (R-FL) has said that the Republicans have “tried to highlight efforts to solve America’s energy problem a thousand ways to Sunday, and [Democrats] keep pulling them from committee, pulling them from the floor and kicking the can down the road.”   A Democrat staffer was questioned about when the Speaker would bring the much need energy legislation to the floor and their response was, “Right now, our strategy on gas prices is ‘Drive small cars and wait for the wind.’”.   To read the entire piece concerning the Democrats energy bill being out of gas, click here.

Today, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid showed how truly out of step he is with Kentuckians.   In a Fox Business interview, Senator Reid claimed “coal makes us sick.”  Coal is Kentucky’s most abundant resource and a piece of the puzzle to solving our nation’s energy crisis.  I would invite you to sign Republican Leader Mitch McConnell’s energy petition and help him send a message to his colleague Harry Reid that we support coal-to-liquid technologies and common sense solutions to lowering gas prices.  Empty rhetoric is not helping lower the price of gas or reduce our dependency on Middle Eastern oil.  Congress must take action to increase domestic energy exploration and production.