May 23, 2006

SENATOR CLINTON’S RHETORIC DOESN’T MATCH HER RECORD

WASHINGTON, DC – Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Chairman of the Environment & Public Works Committee, responded to Senator Clinton’s energy proposal outlined in a speech given this morning at the National Press Club.

“Senator Clinton’s rhetoric doesn’t match her Senate record,” Senator Inhofe said. “Just a few months ago, Senator Clinton voted against my Gas PRICE Act, legislation supported by a wide range of groups including the Renewable Fuels Association and the National Mining Association, which would significantly increase domestic bio-refining capacity. Instead, Senator Clinton supported the Democrat alternative, which would essentially socialize refining capacity by placing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in charge of designing, constructing and operating refineries. Clearly this is not a solution. Thankfully, the Democrat alternative was defeated down a straight party-line vote in committee last year.

“Today in Washington DC, Senator Clinton called for policies that will increase the demand for natural gas, yet at the same time, she and her Democrat colleagues continue to block construction of LNG terminals in the Northeast. Senator Clinton should be ashamed of this gross hypocrisy and failure to propose workable solutions that will actually bring down high energy prices, not raise them.

“Neither Senator Clinton’s proposal today nor the Senate Democrat Leadership’s energy proposal last week will do anything except gain a few headlines in a few newspapers. If Democrats are truly serious about bringing down energy prices, they will end their obstruction in the Senate and work with Republicans to pass meaningful energy legislation.”