NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday May 13, 2008
Bee running on fumes when it comes to gas prices
Sen. Tim Bee’s campaign is clearly running on fumes this week, as he attacked Rep. Gabrielle Giffords for her bipartisan work on lowering prices. Asked how Bee would address high gas prices, Bee’s spokesman yesterday “declined to give specifics” and admitted that Bee is still ”’in the process of formulating’ his economic policies.” [Bee wrestles Giffords over oil prices , PolitickerAZ, 05/12/08].
Middle-class families can’t afford to wait. Today, Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords joined her Democratic and Republican House colleagues in support of bipartisan legislation to reduce gas prices by halting new oil purchases for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR). The bill, H.R. 6202, passed the house 385-25. The Senate also passed the legislation, 97-1. Sen. John McCain missed the vote, like many other important votes, because he was campaigning.
“Tim Bee doesn’t get it,” said Emily Bittner, spokeswoman for the Arizona Democratic Party. “On the same day that Bee directly attacked Congresswoman Giffords for her bipartisan approach to lower gas prices, Bee’s own campaign admitted Bee has no plans to help southern Arizona’s middle class. With gas prices at record highs because of the Bush-Cheney energy policy, Arizona families need real help – not political rhetoric.”
In fact, Democrats have been working hard to reduce gas prices since taking control of Congress.
Background:
- Democrats enacted the landmark Energy Independence and Security Act, with provisions to combat oil market manipulation, make cars and trucks more efficient, and promote the use of more affordable American bio-fuels. Democrats would also crack down on oil price gouging, hold OPEC accountable for oil price fixing and repeal subsidies for profit-rich Big Oil so we can invest in a renewable energy future. [H.R. 1252, H.R. 2264, H.R. 5351, H.R. 6]
- President Bush and Republicans have blocked these efforts virtually every step of the way. Cracking down on oil price gouging was opposed by 140 Republicans, including nearly all of the Republican Leadership. Holding OPEC accountable was opposed by 67 Republicans. Repealing billions in subsidies to profit-rich big oil companies and investing in renewable energy and energy efficiency was opposed by 174 Republicans.
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