EAGAN, Minn. – As it now has been reported widely, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is preparing to hold a vote next month on off-shore oil and gas drilling. She has opened the door to a bipartisan bill that will include not just oil and gas drilling, but also a repeal of oil company subsidies and legislation mandating energy companies drill on federal lands to which they already hold leases before they can gain access to additional federal lands.
As it’s also now being reported widely, several Republicans involved in the mini-“protest” that has been staged in the empty House chamber for the past two weeks are balking at Speaker Pelosi’s initiative, indicating that they’re only interested in voting on their bill for Big Oil (http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/gop-rejects-pelosis-energy-proposal-...).
One of the “protesters” who has thus far remained silent following Speaker Pelosi’s announcement is Rep. John Kline (R-MN). As it remains unknown whether Mr. Kline will stand up for the American people or continue his record of standing for Big Oil, Steve Sarvi, Kline’s Democratic opponent in Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District, has issued the following statement:
“Minnesotans are looking for their representatives to fight for them – not for their party’s agenda or for their Big Oil contributors. They’re tired of partisan bickering that prevents anything from getting done. If John Kline is interested in serving the people of Minnesota, he’ll vote for common-sense solutions to our energy crisis that address our short- and long-term needs – and he’ll urge his colleagues to do the same. As of now, it remains to be seen whether he’ll keep putting his mouth where his money is – with Big Oil – or serve the people who elected him.”
John Kline: Scrambling to Show He’s Fighting for the People, Not Big Oil
Kline Took Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars from the Energy Industry and – Unsurprisingly – Voted for Their Bills. As John Kline took huge contributions from the energy sector for his campaign war chest, he voted in lockstep with the Bush administration’s energy bills – giveaways to the energy companies. Over the course of his career, John Kline has taken over $125,000 from energy industry PACs and more than $165,000 from the energy industry overall. He has taken more than $118,000 from the oil and gas sectors alone. (http://www.opensecrets.org, DCCC press release 8/1/08)
Kline Is a Reliable Vote Against Alternative Energy Research and Development and Energy Conservation. Kline has voted repeatedly against common-sense legislation to decrease our dependence on foreign oil, address climate change, lower energy costs for consumers and create hundreds of thousands of new jobs in the process.
Late last year, he voted against the Energy Independence and Security Act. Its purpose was to move the United States toward greater energy independence and security by increasing the production of clean renewable fuels, increasing the efficiency of products, buildings, and vehicles, promoting research on and deployment of greenhouse gas capture techniques, and improving the energy performance of the Federal Government. (http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?tab=speeches&bill=h110-6)
Earlier this year, Kline voted against H.R. 5351, the Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2008, which seeks to invest Big Oil’s $18 billion in government subsidies in renewable energy research and development and tax credits for a wide range of renewable energy programs.
While Talking a Good Game on Lowering Energy Prices, Kline Has Voted Against Common-Sense Solutions. Kline voted against the Commodity Market Transparency and Accountability Act (H.R. 6604), to curb excessive speculation in the energy markets, close the Enron loophole, and strengthen enforcement to prevent market manipulation and prosecute fraud (Roll Call Vote #540, 7/30/08). Those who have decried speculators’ role in inflating fuel prices include airline executives such as Northwest's Doug Steenland.
Steve Sarvi: A Change in Course on Energy
Steve Sarvi supports responsible drilling on the 68 million acres of land oil companies already have under lease and investing Big Oil subsidies in renewable energy. For a complete look at Sarvi’s positions on energy and fuel prices, visit www.stevesarvi.org/issues/energy-and-the-environment.
About Steve Sarvi
Sarvi, the DFL-endorsed candidate for Congress in Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District, is running for Congress because he believes our nation needs to change course and that the people of Minnesota’s 2nd District deserve a representative who will serve the people – not the president, not their party, not big corporate interests. Sarvi is a decorated veteran of the U.S. Army and National Guard who served in both Kosovo and Iraq . He’s a former three-term mayor of Watertown, Minn., who managed local governments for more than 13 years. For more about Sarvi and his vision for changing our country’s course, visitwww.stevesarvi.org.