Congressman Patrick McHenry's office says that he will be visiting Western North Carolina this week, and his office says he wants to talk about how to lower gas prices. But up in Washington, D.C., Congressman McHenry votes "no" to every attempt to establish a comprehensive energy policy that would lower gas prices for working families.

-McHenry voted "no" to requiring oil companies to drill on the 68 million acres that they already hold leases for, which could produce 4.8 million barrels of oil and 44.7 billion cubic feet of natural gas daily (H.R. 6251, 6/26/08). Drilling on these public lands could double U.S. oil production and cut oil imports by one-third.

Big Oil is once again rewarding Senator Elizabeth Dole for her loyalty. First they gave her $266,456 in campaign cash, and today they came to her rescue again as she struggles to in her reelection efforts. Americans for Progress, a group founded and funded by Oilman David Koch, today began running a statewide radio ad trying to rewrite Elizabeth Dole’s history of advocating for Big Oil and Gas over working families every chance she gets.

“Elizabeth Dole’s hypocrisy knows no bounds,” said Hagan Campaign Communications Director Colleen Flanagan. “She campaigns across North Carolina pledging to stop outside groups from running ads in North Carolina, but now that her campaign’s in trouble, her Big Oil backers are rushing to her defense. It’s no surprise that Big Oil and Gas would ante up for their favorite Senator – they know when Kay gets to the Senate, they won’t be able to use her as their puppet, pull her strings or use her to do their bidding.”

Democrats launch www.BoughtByBigOil.com to give voters truth about ‘Grand Oil Party’

Republicans collect campaign cash, Big Oil makes record profits, consumers pay at the pump

Misses Another Chance to Lower Gas Prices

Today Congressman Patrick McHenry voted against providing Western North Carolina families with relief from high gas prices. Congressman McHenry voted against H.R. 6604, the Commodity Market Transparency and Accountability Act, which would crack down on excessive energy speculation that artificially drives up the cost of a barrel of oil.

Despite her words, Dole votes for Big Oil, Gas

Elizabeth Dole introduced a bill that would repeal the $17 billion in tax credits to Big Oil and Gas and redirect those funds into renewable energy. The problem? She’s voted numerous times, as recently as last month, against doing just that. Dole also voted last Friday against a measure that would curb excessive speculation in the energy markets, thereby helping to lower gas prices, after claiming to support increased enforcement of the energy markets in an op-ed in the Asheville Citizen-Times and on the U.S. Senate floor.

"Elizabeth Dole has become so adept at this doublespeak dance, and it is exactly the reason why North Carolinians dislike Washington politicians like her,” said Hagan Campaign Communications Director Colleen Flanagan. “She is so wholly ineffective – voting with President Bush 92% of the time, including giving Big Oil and Gas the $17 billion in tax incentives to begin with – that she is constantly saying one thing in North Carolina and doing another in Washington to keep up appearances in both places. The onus is on Senator Dole to explain why, when given the chance just a month ago to repeal those $17 billion in tax breaks to Big Oil and Gas, she chose not to. She has been nothing more than a reliable Bush Rubberstamp Republican, and these attempts to rewrite history, three months before a very tough re-election fight, are embarrassing as best and completely deceitful at worst."

Since 2003, has your salary increased 270%? Is your house worth 270% more? Does your retirement fund or your children's college account have 270% more money in it?

The likely answer to all of these questions is no. When Elizabeth Dole took office, the average price of gas was $1.52 per gallon. Now it's ballooned 270% to $4.10 per gallon.

The rising price of gas isn't something that happened overnight. Elizabeth Dole has been a Washington insider for more than 40 years -- forty years of inaction, forty years of not listening.

Kay wants to hear from you: http://www.kayhagan.com/action/gasprices

How much is gas in your town? How much does it cost to fill up your tank? How have you sacrificed?

By Mike Hixenbaugh
Rocky Mount Telegram

Tuesday, July 08, 2008

U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge hopes to curb growing oil prices by cracking down on market manipulation, he told motorists Monday at a Nash County Kangaroo gas station.

Etheridge, D-2nd District, introduced legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives last month to allow stiffer regulation of energy trading. Etheridge is chairman of the Agriculture Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management, which oversees the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

Chairman Chris Van Hollen announced today that the DCCC is launching the “Independence from Big Oil” campaign and will run radio ads against Representatives Robin Hayes (NC-08) and Patrick McHenry (NC-10), who both have stood with George Bush and Big Oil while North Carolina’s middle class families are being squeezed by the highest gas prices in history. The radio ads were recorded by a comedian impersonating President Bush.

“We will be going district-by-district to hold House Republicans accountable for helping President Bush give tax breaks to profitable Big Oil companies and doing nothing to help hardworking middle class Americans who are paying more than $4.00 per gallon at the pump,” said Chairman Chris Van Hollen. “This Independence Day, the American people deserve to be liberated from the Big Oil policies of President Bush and the rubber stamp House Republicans.”

Obama Announces Plan to Fully Close the Enron Loophole, Crack Down on Excessive Energy Speculation

Senator Barack Obama today announced his plan to crack down on excessive energy speculation and fully close the "Enron Loophole" to ease the impact skyrocketing gas prices. The Enron Loophole was created by McCain campaign co-chair Phil Gramm at the behest of Enron-just one example of the special interest politics that put the interests of Big Oil and speculators ahead of the interests of working people. And the American people have seen the results: record corporate profits while Americans pay record prices at the pump.