The GOP talking storm: It's still thundering

The tourists continue to pour onto the House Floor while Republicans continue their week-long talking tangent.

Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-Mich.) explained his perspective on the history of the "Greatest Generation" of World War II. Other subjects he covered were Communist Russia, industrialization, and the Civil Rights Movement. He said the test of this generation is the energy challenge.

Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) said "people are calling [the Republican's talkathon] historic." Last Friday, it may have been a stunt, but now it is serious, he said. He told the crowd that they are first-hand witnesses and so they should spread the word. Jokingly, he told the younger people to instant message people about it.

One man sitting in the front row raised his hand for a comment or question, but McCotter ignored him, and the man walked out shortly.

McCotter said Congress needs to develop "common sense" solutions to the oil crisis.

"In the Midwest, if you don't use common sense, you freeze to death," McCotter said.

McCotter compared House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to someone walking into a job interview. If someone walks into a job interview and tells the prospective boss about a secret solution to a major problem, then the boss will think they have better ideas than other prospects and hire that person. A year later, the problem gets bigger, the person gives up, and takes a 5-week paid vacation, McCotter said.

Many Republicans and Democrats agree on bringing Congress back in session to address the oil crisis, but Pelosi will not do anything about it, McCotter said.

Republicans and tourists: A History Lesson

As the talkathon on the House floor continues, Republicans addressed an unusual crowd compared to their Democratic opponents: Tourists in t-shirts and shorts coming from as far away as Texas.

Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) explained the historical parallel between the Republicans and the famous lawmakers portrayed on the walls above the House floor. Lawmakers like Napoleon made the right decisions when the time came, Barton said.

Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) said Republicans are sending a letter to House Democrats interested in debating the offshore drilling ban. Democrats need to interrupt House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's book tour and begin debating, said Blunt.

"Our speaker is not showing tolerance," said Barton (R-Tx.). Barton said he has a "real problem" with Pelosi not letting the Democratic bill on offshore drilling come to the floor when other Democrats like Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii) are willing to work with Republicans. Drilling on a 3 square mile area of Alaska would give us 11 billion barrels of oil, said Barton.

Barton pointed to the Daniel Webster quote etched on the wall above the House press gallery and read the words "let us develop our resources" out loud. He called for the United States to acknowledge that quote and drill on American soil.

Rep. Rob Bishop (R-Utah) said the energy crisis is only an annoyance for wealthy Americans, but it is a severe problem for the poor. 68 percent of oil drillers are small companies, and they need to continue to drill to survive, Bishop said.

GOP frustrated with dead-end drilling debate

Congressmen Adam Putnam (R-Fla.) and Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) held a pen and pad briefing on the recent American Energy Tour and used the opportunity to express their frustration with Democrats' anti-drilling position.

Putnam said that America has the tools it needs to solve the energy crisis, but requires new leadership to achieve energy independence. He said the Republicans plan on unveiling a bill that is an "all-of-the-above" approach to the oil crisis that includes measures on conservation, renewables, clean nuclear technology, and domestic exploration for oil. He said the bill would embody Republicans' open-mindedness and leadership, a stark contrast to Democrats' constant denial of even debate on the topic of drilling.

McCarthy said that in his recent tour of the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), he learned that a key oil transmission line is not used to capacity and if exploration is not done, great amounts of oil will be lost. He said the Democrats' constant denial of drilling tells the American people that oil prices will continue to go up. Putnam added that Republicans are constantly offering what they are willing to do, while the Democrats only say what they are unwilling to do. He said his party is determined to force a vote on energy issues before the Congress breaks for August.

Republicans work towards "clean energy independence"

The Senate Republican Conference met with several witnesses to discuss the solution to gaining “more American energy” and achieving “clean energy independence.” A major focus of the discussion was Sen. Lamar Alexander’s (R-Tenn.) “New Manhattan Project” in which he outlines seven steps or “Grand Challenges” which he considers essential to achieving this goal in the next five years. The Grand Challenges include making plug-in electric vehicles commonplace, making carbon capture a reality for coal-burning power plants, achieving cost-competitive solar power, creating safe storage for nuclear waste, developing cost-competitive biofuels, constructing environmentally-friendly buildings, and providing fusion energy.

Sen. Bob Bennett (R-Utah) highlighted that even if the U.S. were to keep its fossil fuel emissions level without decreasing them, the increase in demand will grow by 30 percent in the next 20 to 30 years. He also emphasized that even if the U.S. met its global warming goals, the impact worldwide would be very low. Sen. Kit Bond (R-Mo.) said the U.S. needs to “get real” about its energy future and that the situation is a basic lesson in “Economics 101.” He said the country needs to increase supply and decrease demand by tapping into U.S. domestic oil reserves and proliferation of more fuel-efficient vehicles. All the senators reiterated that there need not be a choice between energy and the environment, but that both goals can be achieved.

Dr. Rhone Resch, President of the Solar Energy Industries Association, said that solar technology is available but a significant market for it does not exist in the U.S. Dr. Scott W. Tinker, Director of the Bureau of Economic Geology, said that one-third of U.S. oil supply is imported, which makes energy independence difficult to achieve.

Today at Talk Radio News Service

The Washington Bureau will cover an Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing on "Accountability Lapses in Multiple Funds for Iraq," a subcommittee of the House Judiciary Hearing on "Retail Price of Gas and Competition in the Oil Industry," and a subcommittee of the House Homeland Security Committee on "The Border Security Challenge: Recent Developments and Legislative Proposals." A correspondent will also cover a Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing on "Seniors at Risk: Improving Medicare for Our Most Vulnerable." Later, the Washington Bureau will cover a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and House Financial Services Committee joint hearing on how the mortgage crisis afflicts neighborhoods, as well as a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on how to provide legal assistance to low-income Americans.

Pentagon Correspondent Meredith MacKenzie will attend a pen and pad briefing with the Senate Leadership, including Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), as well as a press conference with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).

Correspondent Dawn Jones will cover a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the nominations of Gen. David Petraeus "for reappointment to the grade of general and to be commander of the United States Central Command," and Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno "for appointment to the grade of general and to be commander of the Multi-National Force-Iraq."