John Boehner Calls Dems Bluff on Drilling

Posted on August 5, 2008

John Boehner puts the so-called pro-drilling democrats on the spot.

- House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) today issued the following statement in response to an article in today’s Politico that suggests Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has secretly signaled to rank-and-file House Democratic lawmakers that they should feel free to portray themselves publicly as pro-drilling if it helps them politically:

“My message to Democratic lawmakers is this: if you’re really for increased American energy production, then prove it by putting it in writing. Sign the discharge petitions House Republicans are circulating that will force votes on energy legislation Speaker Pelosi refuses to bring to the floor. And sign onto the American Energy Act, our ‘all of the above’ plan to increase conservation, innovation, and American energy production, instead of doing the Speaker’s bidding by voting against bringing it to a vote. If you aren’t willing to put it in writing, you’re fooling no one. You’re siding with the Speaker of the Drill-Nothing Congress and radical special interests that favor higher gas prices, at the expense of energy-strapped American families.”

NOTE: House Republican members have sponsored a series of discharge petitions on energy reform bills the House Democratic leadership refuses to allow to come to a vote on the House floor. Under House rules, if a discharge petition is signed by 218 or more House members, the majority leadership is required to schedule the legislation for a vote. House Republicans have also introduced the American Energy Act (H.R. 6566), a comprehensive energy reform bill to lower gas prices and move America toward energy independence through an “all of the above” approach. To date, however, rank-and-file Democrats have failed to demonstrate independence from Speaker Pelosi on American energy, refusing to sign onto the GOP discharge petitions and voting with Pelosi on procedural measures to prevent the American Energy Act from being considered on the House floor.