House Republican Whip Roy Blunt (Mo.) issued the following statement last week as Republicans in the House took the floor to demand of their colleagues swift and decisive action to rein in gasoline and diesel prices - and work to put our country on a sustainable path to genuine energy security:

"In devoting valuable floor time to debating a bill on beaches today, Democrats did their best to ignore the millions of American families struggling with $3.40 gasoline, and the hundreds of truckers lined up outside the Capitol protesting the staggering price of diesel. But today Republicans in the House refused to play along - instead asking Democrats
to finally unveil their 'secret plan' for reining in energy prices.

"A full 15 months have passed since Democrats came into power with ambitious promises to provide affordable energy to all. But in that time, the price of oil has more than doubled, natural gas has risen by 20 percent, and the 'Pelosi Premium' has added an extra dollar to the price Americans pay for a gallon of gas.

"If this is what Democrats had in mind when they promised to take our country in 'a new direction,' I don't know that it's a direction our economy can survive much longer."