Williams Says Congress Should Not Have Adjourned Without Addressing Nation's Energy Crisis

Press Release

Williams Says Congress Should Not Have Adjourned Without Addressing Nation's Energy Crisis

Republican congressional candidate Craig Williams says Congress was wrong to have recessed for a five week vacation without passing meaningful legislation to address the nation's energy crisis. Williams said Joe Sestak's vote to adjourn on Friday was evidence that he does not take the financial situation of families, businesses, and seniors struggling with high gasoline and home heating prices seriously.

"Joe Sestak and the Democrat leadership in Congress have repeatedly blocked bi-partisan efforts to address the energy crisis through real and substantive legislation," said Williams, who has made energy reform one of the major policy issues of his campaign. "Sestak and the Democrats are blocking energy legislation while seeking to divert blame from themselves. The failure of our nation's leaders to take action on energy security is evidence that Washington is truly broken. This is why the approval rating of Congress is at an all time low of just 9 percent."

"Families are being forced to make tough household budget decisions as gas prices drive up the cost of food and other consumer goods," said Williams. "Seniors are being forced to cut back on the amount of heating oil they purchase because of high prices - leaving many in potentially life-threatening situations in the coming winter months. It is unthinkable that Sestak and the Democrats would vote to adjourn for a five week summer vacation with our nation facing this crisis."

Williams' has outlined an energy plan that seeks to buy our nation 15 to 20 years of traditional energy from domestic sources until the United States can rely more heavily on renewable energy sources. That includes domestic recovery of oil and natural gas, including off shore and in the Arctic tundra of Alaska; utilizing clean-burning coal technologies; and increasing the use of nuclear power; all while increasing conservation, improving energy efficiency, and funding continued renewable energy research.

Rather than address the energy crisis, Democratic leadership has effectively removed any opportunity for a bi-partisan majority of Congress to pass meaningful energy legislation. As RealClearPolitics.com recently noted:

"The House majority leadership has pulled out all the stops to block votes on measures aimed at increasing domestic supply. The entire appropriations process has virtually ground to a halt because of Democratic leadership concerns that Republicans might offer amendments aimed at expanding energy resources. The majority has canceled markups in committee and restricted the types of bills the House considers, using its considerable procedural power to exclude amendments and other legislative ideas from consideration. All of these efforts are aimed at blocking one thing: congress working its will." (Source: Realclearpolitics.com, "Democrats sputtering on energy." )

"Sestak and the Democrat leadership in Congress know that if they allow an open and fair debate on the energy issue, that the majority of Republicans and Democrats in Congress will band together to pass real reforms," said Williams. "In response, they have effectively shut down Congress rather than allow the will of the people to move forward. That's wrong."

Williams said Sestak has repeatedly voted to block consideration of legislation to address the energy crisis and reduce dependence on foreign oil, citing 10 votes over the past 4 months:

Source