Boehner Vents Over Record High Gas Prices - East Idaho News
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Boehner Vents Over Record High Gas Prices

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Getty 1208711 JohnBoehner?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1330448622045Chris Maddaloni/CQ-Roll Call(WASHINGTON) — House Speaker John Boehner vented his frustrations over record gasoline prices Tuesday, blaming “radical environmentalists” for standing in the way of a national energy policy, before abruptly ending a news conference at the Capitol.

“Americans understand that we can produce more of our own energy and they don’t understand why 35 years since the oil embargo of 1974 that we’ve never had a national energy policy,” Boehner said. “We’ve got a handful of environmental groups – radical environmental groups who have stood in the way of having a national energy policy all of these years, and it’s just about damn time that we actually have a national energy policy and do something the American people want us to do! Enough of this!”

Boehner noted that American families and small businesses are struggling with the rising price of gas, and he pressed the president to present details for a comprehensive energy plan and Senate Democrats to consider some of the bills House Republicans have passed to provide relief to the economy.

A gasoline price survey released Monday finds that the average paid by U.S. drivers for a gallon of regular nationwide is $3.72.

Boehner said that supply and demand drive the price of gasoline, and turmoil in the Middle East is adding to anxiety on Wall Street, further driving up the price of gas. He also blamed higher gas prices on regulations imposed by the Obama administration.

Republicans also blame the president for rejecting the Keystone XL Pipeline. On Monday, TransCanada – the company applying to build the international project, announced it would proceed with a southern portion of the pipeline immediately, while re-submitting its application for the part the Obama administration refused to approve.

Boehner predicted that prices will not come down until America proves that “we’re going to move toward energy self-sufficiency.”  

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