FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date:               August 7, 2008

Contact:          Fergus Cullen, Chairman, New Hampshire Republican Party

                        603-225-9341 office, 603-520-5450 cell

NH GOP Chairman Comments on Democratic Leadership Valuing Vacations Over Energy Solutions

CONCORD, NH – New Hampshire GOP Chairman Fergus Cullen issued the following statement today on U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s call for a vote last Friday to go into August recess:

“I applaud House Republicans who are holding their own energy debate on the floor to protest the Democrats’ decision to put their vacations over the needs of the country – which both Carol Shea-Porter and Paul Hodes voted for. It should not be surprising that Barack Obama and Jeanne Shaheen do not have anything in the way of an energy strategy to lower the high costs of gas and home heating oil that New Hampshire residents are faced with, when their party leadership places more of a premium on their own vacations rather than trying to solve the energy crisis.”

BACKGROUND 

Both Carol Shea-Porter and Paul Hodes voted to adjourn rather than vote on a comprehensive solution to the energy crisis

(House Roll Call 566, 8/1/08, 213-197, Shea-Porter Yea, Hodes Yea, http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2008/roll566.xml)

Jeanne Shaheen Out of Touch on Energy

• Despite overwhelming support here in New Hampshire, Jeanne Shaheen is so out of touch that she continues to oppose commonsense policies that will lower gas prices. She does not support opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling and lifting the ban on offshore exploration. In fact she stated, "More drilling is the answer the oil companies are looking for, not the answer New Hampshire families are looking for." (Shaheen Campaign Press Release, John Sununu Votes To Continue Bush-Cheney Energy Policy, Open Up ANWR, Atlantic Costal Waters To Drilling, 5/13/08)

• Jeanne Shaheen’s failure to propose a serious plan to deal with our national energy crisis reminder Granite Staters of her six years of failed leadership in the corner office.

Jeanne Shaheen’s failed plan:

• Calls For No New Domestic Production But Would Force Companies To Drill On Currently Leased Land Whether It Is Productive Or Not.

• Calls To Close The Enron Loophole – Even Though Recent Legislation Has Already Closed It.  According to U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA): “The United States Congress has approved a measure to close the ‘Enron Loophole.’ The measure was included in the Farm Bill conference report.”(Feinstein Press Release, Congress Approves Measure To Close “Enron Loophole,” 5/15/2008)

• Calls For An End To Oil Shipments To The Strategic Petroleum Reserve – Even Though Recent Legislation Has Already Stopped Them: On May 13, 2008 the US Senate voted to suspend the 70,000 barrel per day shipment to the reserve. The measured passed by a margin of 97-1. President Bush signed the legislation on May 19, 2008.

• Calls For OPEC To Produce More Oil, But Opposes More Offshore Exploration - Which Guarantees Greater Dependence On Foreign Oil.

• Calls for a Tax on Energy Producers That Has Been Proven to Increase America's Dependence on Foreign Oil: A windfall profits tax was imposed by the Carter Administration in 1980 and according to the non-partisan Congressional Research Service increased our dependence on foreign oil 8% to 16% percent. Because of its failure the tax was rescinded as part of The Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988.

On Energy, Obama Does Not Have a Plan and Voted To Give Billions Away In Tax Breaks and Subsidies to Big Oil in 2005:

The 2005 Energy Bill Included $2.8 Billion In Subsidies For Oil And Natural Gas Production. "The conference agreement provides for $14.6 billion in tax breaks and credits between 2005 and 2015, including: -- $2.8 billion for fossil fuel production..." (Toni Johnson, "CQ Bill Analysis: HR 6," Congressional Quarterly's "CQ Bill Analysis," www.cq.com, Accessed 7/14/08)

Obama Voted For The 2005 Energy Bill. (H.R. 6, CQ Vote #213: Adopted 74-26: R 49-6; D 25-19; I 0-1, 7/29/05, Obama Voted Yea)

John McCain Criticized The 2005 Energy Bill's "Handouts To Big Business And Oil Companies," Calling Them Irresponsible. McCain: "This bill does little to address the immediate energy crisis we face in this country. The handouts to big business and oil companies are irresponsible and will be disastrous for people of Arizona. I cannot in good conscience, vote to pass legislation that does not adequately address issues related to energy efficiency, security, and energy independence." (Sen. John McCain, "McCain, Kyl Say No To Flawed Energy Bill," Press Release, 6/28/05)

OBAMA'S FELLOW DEMOCRATS CRITICIZED THE 2005 ENERGY BILL'S TAX BREAKS AND SUBSIDIES

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) Criticized The Tax Subsidies For Oil Companies:

Sen. Clinton: "You know, the energy bill that passed in 2005 was larded with all kinds of special interest breaks, giveaways to the oil companies. Senator Obama voted for it. I did not because I knew that it was going to be an absolute nightmare. Now we're all out on the campaign trail talking about taking the tax subsidies away from the oil companies, some of which were in that 2005 energy bill." (Sen. Hillary Clinton, ABC/Facebook Democrat Presidential Debate, Manchester, NH, 1/5/08)