September 9, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H7865 First I want to thank all the volun- bility to investigate their authenticity. the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, not teers and workers who are helping in That’s why I am signing onto a resolu- Iraq. this recovery effort. tion to consider impeachment of the f Hurricane Gustav, as Hurricane Ike President. Without accountability, a 1230 threatens to do, highlights the impor- democracy will fail. b tance of American energy production f ‘‘ALL THE ABOVE’’ in the Gulf of Mexico. Dangerously, (Mr. BARRETT of South Carolina America remains just one major storm THE AMERICAN PEOPLE CANNOT AFFORD TO WAIT FOR AN ALL- asked and was given permission to ad- or one geopolitical act from another dress the House for 1 minute.) major hike in the price at the pump. OF-THE-ABOVE ENERGY STRAT- EGY Mr. BARRETT of South Carolina. Gas prices affect our food prices, the Mr. Speaker, during August, I traveled economy in general, and people’s pock- (Mr. MCCOTTER asked and was given throughout my district and heard first- etbooks directly. permission to address the House for 1 hand from my constituents who are Throughout August I joined my fel- minute.) suffering due to high gasoline and die- low House Republicans in urging Mr. MCCOTTER. Mr. Speaker, in Au- sel prices. Everywhere I went, I heard Speaker PELOSI to bring Congress back gust the high price of energy helped stories from individuals and businesses to session to help American families cost 84,000 Americans their jobs; 39,000 struggling to make ends meet. One struggling with dramatically high gas auto manufacturing jobs in the State business owner I spoke with told me, prices. She refused. But now we can of Michigan alone were reported lost. ‘‘The recent energy crisis has defi- act. The response of this Democratic Con- nitely impacted business in a major We can increase our own energy sup- gress was to take a 5-week paid vaca- way and, unfortunately, will ulti- ply, become less dependent on foreign tion at taxpayer expense without doing mately affect the everyday consumers sources of oil, create good, high-paying anything on the price of energy. of our products as a result of higher American jobs. We can do this. Many of What we have asked for repeatedly in prices.’’ these energy jobs are going overseas, this Chamber, and even through the re- Mr. Medford said that significantly but we can keep them right here in cess by taking to the floor, is for an higher shipping, transportation, and America. By harnessing all of Amer- all-of-the-above energy strategy that raw material costs are causing his bot- ica’s vast resources, we can help Amer- includes maximum American energy tom line to rise in his business, and icans in the short term and into the fu- production, commonsense conserva- this causes the consumer, of course, to ture. tion, and free market green innova- pay more. Let’s do the responsible thing. Let’s tions. It is time for a vote on this com- Mr. Speaker, we need to take action open up parts of our deepwater coasts monsense bipartisan proposal. The now. Any energy legislation we con- for energy exploration, and let’s begin American people cannot afford to wait. sider should take advantage of an ‘‘all- to reduce the price at the pump. We Instead, we see a Speaker who had of-the-above’’ approach to solving our can take control of our energy future, time to write a book now coming to us Nation’s energy problems. On behalf of which is our economic future. We can finding time to write a new energy pro- Mr. Medford, countless business own- lower families’ anxiety, but Congress posal unilaterally. ers, the American consumers, and the must act to increase American energy All we ask for is a vote on existing people of the Third Congressional Dis- production across the board now. legislation. Again, Mr. Speaker, the trict in South Carolina, bring com- f American people cannot afford to wait. prehensive energy legislation to the WITHOUT ACCOUNTABILITY, A f floor now. DEMOCRACY WILL FAIL AMERICA NEEDS TO TAKE OUR f FOREIGN POLICY IN A DRAMATI- (Mr. MCDERMOTT asked and was MEDIA FAIRNESS CALLY NEW DIRECTION given permission to address the House (Mr. SMITH of Texas asked and was for 1 minute and to revise and extend (Mr. PALLONE asked and was given given permission to address the House his remarks.) permission to address the House for 1 for 1 minute and to revise and extend Mr. MCDERMOTT. Mr. Speaker, for minute.) his remarks.) the last 2 years I have struggled with Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, later Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the issue of whether the House should this week will mark the seventh anni- according to a recent Rasmussen poll, impeach a sitting President. Next to versary of the 9/11 terrorist attack on more than half of U.S. voters now declaring war, impeachment is the our Nation. In the days after 9/11, think reporters are trying to hurt Gov- gravest matter the House of Represent- Washington and the world united to re- ernor Sarah Palin with their news cov- atives must consider. I fully under- spond to that attack by going after al erage, while a scant 5 percent think re- stand the gut-wrenching consequences Qaeda in Afghanistan. It was a success. porters are trying to help the VP can- of such a national debate that could But rather than continue that quest, didate with their coverage. precipitate. President Bush chose to turn his atten- The encouraging development is that Yet there is one fact we cannot over- tion and the attention of our military the American people are letting the look or escape. America cannot regain to Iraq. media, from MSNBC to Us Weekly to its moral leadership in the world if This was a huge foreign policy mis- Oprah, know that they will not stand America cannot hold its leaders ac- take that has stretched our military for slanted election coverage. By send- countable for their actions at home. dangerously thin, left us unprepared ing e-mails, canceling subscriptions, The allegations that could warrant for possible threats, damaged our credi- and contacting advertisers, they are impeachment keep growing. They have bility around the world, and allowed al making their voices heard. been illuminated in recent books, in- Qaeda to regroup and become stronger This is an important development. cluding ‘‘The Way of the World’’ by along the Pakistan-Afghanistan bor- The American people know that they Ron Suskind; the book by Vincent der. Rather than focus on the greatest do have a say in the media’s coverage. Bugliosi; and the new book by Bob threat of terrorism along the Pakistan- For all those who are dissatisfied with Woodward, ‘‘The War Within.’’ Afghanistan border, the Bush adminis- the election coverage, I urge you to Over 5 years ago, I tried to place as- tration has consistently diverted re- contact your local and national media terisks in the CONGRESSIONAL RECORD sources to Iraq. outlets and demand the highest stand- next to the statements about Iraq the Mr. Speaker, as we remember the 9/11 ards of journalistic integrity. President made to Congress. I was at- attack this week, it’s important that f tacked for saying the President would we recognize the foreign policy failures mislead us into the war. But the Amer- of the last 8 years so that we don’t re- ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER ican people ultimately learned the peat them in the future. We must also PRO TEMPORE truth. There seems to be no end to the recommit ourselves to going after the The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- allegations, and we have a responsi- terrorists where they are, and that is ant to clause 8 of rule XX, the Chair

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