Washington, D.C. – Senate Energy & Natural Resources Chairman Pete V. Domenici today urged Senate Democrats to stop blocking comprehensive energy legislation as the average price for a gallon of gas climbed past $2 a gallon for the first time. Chairman Domenici’s statement: “Today, the average price for a gallon of gasoline rose past $2 for the first time. Presidential candidate John Kerry, in response, called the President’s comprehensive energy plan a failure. I was surprised. For three years, John Kerry has joined Senate Democrats in blocking legislation to implement that plan. To this day, he continues to block passage of the energy bill. It seems disingenuous for John Kerry to blame President Bush for something John Kerry is refusing to do. “Gasoline prices are breaking records. The price of coal is 60 percent higher today than it was last year at this time. Natural gas remains high. Our electricity grid is just as vulnerable to a black-out as it was last August. Once again, I urge Democrats to stop politicking the energy bill. Let’s stop using energy prices as campaign fodder and pass the energy bill to stabilize those prices.”