Boehner Criticizes Obama Energy Policy
Speaker John Boehner called on President Barack Obama to support an “all-of-the-above energy strategy” in the Republican weekly address today.
It was an unusual move, as the speech is typically given by a rank-and-file member of the Republican Conference.
Boehner’s tone was also unusually conciliatory — he began by noting that he met with Obama about a month ago to discuss energy policy.
“The president, who has seen gas prices more than double on his watch, assured leaders in Congress there was room for common ground,” he said. “It was a new sign of hope, but unfortunately, only a brief one.”
Expanding on a theme that Republicans intend to push over the two-week recess, Boehner said Obama has not done enough to keep gas prices from rising, pointing the administration’s decision against the Keystone XL oil pipeline.
“The Senate has stalled dozens of House-passed bills, several of which would implement the Republicans’ all-of-the-above energy strategy to address rising gas prices and help create jobs,” Boehner said.
He called on Obama to push the Senate to vote on those bills and new proposals to increase oil drilling on federal lands and freeze new regulations on oil refineries.
“The House is doing its part, but we can do a whole lot more if President Obama steps up and heeds the will of the American people,” the Speaker said.