E-Newsletter 6/20/12

Statement

What I hear about gas prices

Over the past few months, I've spent a lot of time at gas stations talking with constituents. While I help them pump their gas, I talk to them about how high fuel prices affect their daily commute, their businesses and their lives in general. Even when costs trend downward, I hear the same message from Hoosiers over and over: Gas prices are straining family budgets, they are especially tough on seniors on a fixed income, and folks are having to cut back in other areas of spending.

Over the past few days, gas prices in our district have ranged from $3.53 in Clarksville to $3.63 in Bloomington. At those prices, it costs my family $70 or more to fill up our mini-van. If you've got four kids like I do, you know how much gas you can go through fairly quickly.

Many of our constituents face that same problem, as well as having to worry about getting to and from work, church, the groccery store and running random errands. It eats into money you have budgeted for prescriptions, utility bills or internet service. At the end of the month, it can be tough to find any money to eat out, go to a movie or put away into savings.

What Congress is doing

Because I know how higher gas prices are pinching your budget, I'm doing everything I can to support legislation that might help lower the cost of fuel.

This week, the House is voting on the Domestic Energy and Jobs Act, a package of several bills aimed at more energy industry investments, more American-made energy, and a healthier economy with more jobs in the energy sector. In fact, perhaps our greatest potential for economic growth and job creation is in energy jobs. Among the bills in this package are:

A bill that requires the Executive Branch to develop a plan to lease more federal lands for petroleum exploration and production every time we tap into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
A bill that requires a cumulative analysis of certain EPA rules and actions that impact the price of gasoline and diesel fuels.
A bill that would establish an energy program for federals lands by reviewing the nation's energy needs and establishing goals for production.
A bill to streamlining the permitting process for energy exploration and production, which would allow us to bring more energy and fuel online more quickly.
A bill to expand American energy production in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska.
This is on top of the many bills the House passed in 2011 to expedite permitting, exploration and production of energy sources. Even if these pieces of legislation only help on the margins, it goes a long way to help families live within their means in the midst of a down economy.

What do you think?

Whether I've seen you at a gas station or not, I want to know what you think. How are gas prices affecting you? What do you think Congress should be doing to help lower gas prices? Use the survey on the right side to let me know your thoughts. When you're done, forward this e-mail on to your friends and family so that they can share their thoughts, too.

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