Blunt Lauds Ryan Gas Tax Proposal, Calls on Democrats to Get Serious About Our Energy Future

WASHINGTON, May 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- House Republican Whip Roy Blunt (Mo.) joined Republican Leader John Boehner (Ohio) and others today in signing on as original co-sponsors to the Gas Tax Relief and Earmark Moratorium Act of 2008 -- legislation authored by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) that would pay for the suspension of the federal gas tax by freezing all taxpayer-funded earmarks. Blunt issued the following statement:

"Anytime you're able to write a bill that lightens the tax load on working Americans while at the same time reducing federal spending, that's going to be a bill I can support.

"This legislation, authored by Rep. Paul Ryan, stands out in sharp relief against the assorted gas price schemes we've seen from congressional Democrats -- some bad, others irrelevant, and the rest an attempt to distract the American public from the majority's continued unwillingness to even consider new sources of supply."

NOTE: More than two years have passed since Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) declared that Democrats had "commonsense plan" to rein in spiraling gas prices. Democrats took control of Congress in January 2007; since then, the average price for a gallon of gasoline has gone from $2.33 to $3.64. Democrats have yet to offer that "common sense plan," instead demanding increased energy output from foreign cartels (http://republicanwhip.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=89750) while simultaneously demanding their dissolution.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: House Republican Whip Roy Blunt

CONTACT: Nick Simpson, Antonia Ferrier, or Chris Tucker,
+1-202-226-7022, all of the Office of House Republican Whip Roy Blunt

Web Site: http://republicanwhip.house.gov/

2008-05-08 19:15:40 0357296 PRNEWSWIRE