Domenici to Support Amendment Suspending SPR Contributions
Senate Will Also Consider Domenici Plan to Reduce Gas Prices Tuesday
May 12, 2008
11:30 AM
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Pete Domenici, ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, today issued the following statement regarding votes the Senate is expected to take tomorrow on the McConnell and Reid Amendments to the Flood Insurance Bill:
“While I’m perplexed that Senate Democrats will not take this opportunity to hold a vote on their own gas price plan, I am pleased that the Senate will have an opportunity to vote on both the Republican proposal to increase domestic production and an amendment to temporarily suspend shipments to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
“The Reid amendment introduced last week will temporarily suspend the fill of SPR. Such a provision was contained in the Republican plan to reduce gasoline prices that I introduced almost two weeks ago. It is clear that both Republicans and Democrats agree that given the high price of gasoline, it would be wise to suspend shipments to the SPR for the time being.
“In the past, I have not advocated for such a proposal, but the high cost of gasoline has fundamentally changed the equation. Just as I have reconsidered my position on the SPR, I urge my colleagues that have previously opposed increased domestic production to reconsider their positions and support my proposal which could produce up to 24 billion barrels of American oil.”
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