[Pages S2316-S2318]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

IDAHOANS SPEAK OUT ON HIGH ENERGY PRICES

Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, in mid-June, I asked Idahoans to share with
me how high energy prices are affecting their lives, and they responded
by the hundreds. The stories, numbering well over 1,200, are
heartbreaking and touching. While energy prices have dropped in recent
weeks, the concerns expressed remain very relevant. To respect the
efforts of those who took the opportunity to share their thoughts, I am
submitting every e-mail sent to me through an address set up
specifically for this purpose to the Congressional Record. This is not
an issue that will be easily resolved, but it is one that deserves
immediate and serious attention, and Idahoans deserve to be heard.
Their stories not only detail their struggles to meet everyday
expenses, but also have suggestions and recommendations as to what
Congress can do now to tackle this problem and find solutions that last
beyond today. I ask unanimous consent to have today's letters printed
in the Record.

[[Page S2317]]

There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
the Record, as follows:

I am a working class American male, fighting to maintain a
standard of living which will enable me to provide for myself
and my family. I find it difficult to imagine why we would
continue as a country to be held host to foreign oil.
I find that prices of everything are rising because of the
cost of shipping, and some members of Congress I hear think
this is a good thing? Sir, I am pleased that you would want
to hear from us, but realistically I am less than convinced
that much will be done by a body of people who seem so
unwilling and unable to work together as the current Congress
appears.
I used to be optimistic that one voice could make a
difference and now have resigned myself to believe that by
and large those who sit in the ``hallowed halls of Congress''
care only for their power and position and nothing for us as
citizens. The price of groceries continues to rise, the price
of fuel driving everything higher, shippers cannot afford to
transport goods, and I find the future bleak. How long before
the trucking industry, the shipping industry, railways and
airlines stop because no one can afford to pay the cost?
Foodstuffs such as corn are now being grown for fuel,
driving those prices higher and yet no relief is felt at the
pump. It seems clear to me that two things must happen; first
we must become energy independent, drilling within our own
borders, and second finding alternative forms of energy to
prevent this from happening. Please use whatever powers of
persuasion you possess to convince your fellow Senators to
listen and feel the crunch that is crippling our nation!
Albert.
____

My wife and I were born in Idaho (I in Kellogg and my wife
in Pocatello) and I work at the INL although I am currently
on assignment at the Yucca Mountain Project.
How Do Gas Prices Impact Us and the Nation
I am 67 and my wife is 63 and, with the high cost of gas,
we are afraid to retire. These were supposed to be the
``golden years'' and they are far from that. It is driving up
the cost of food and other items that must be shipped by
truck and is killing the auto industry. Because of all of
these cost increases and the uncertainties it is creating in
our economy, the stock market is also dropping and pulling
down what retirement investments that we have. Although
health care and other issues are also on our mind, I fear
that high gas prices are dragging our country to its knees
and it is spreading in all directions. They use to say that
if we lost Vietnam, it would have the domino effect and we
would lose all of that part of Asia.
Well, high gas prices are definitely causing a domino
effect, and as people travel less it impacts everyone who
support the travel industry. Look what it is doing to the
airline industry. The impact of high gas prices is spreading
everywhere. I wonder how long it will take to get beyond this
mess. Should I plan to retire at 70 or maybe I should think
about 75?

What to Do About Gas Prices

The country is now looking toward nuclear power and that is
great. Wind and solar power might help a little, but they
cannot produce enough. And drilling for more oil in new
locations could also help. But these are all long-term
solutions that cannot help today. I think what makes us
frustrated is that the oil companies are making record
profits and they aren't doing anything to help the country.
It is sort of like their attitude is to take the money and
run. So if you want to do something in the short term, you
need to deal with them now. Congress needs to look into how
much they pay their CEOs and put a cap on that amount. When a
CEO makes 100 or 1,000 times more than the President or you,
Mike as a Senator, something is wrong. Congress also needs to
look into what they are doing with these record profits. They
claim that they are doing more exploration but we as the
public cannot see this. They should be forced to make public
what they are doing with the profits. I do not see them
building any new refineries. They should be forced to do
that. But you see, why would they want to build new
refineries when they have created a shortage that makes money
for them. We are asking the Saudis to pump more oil but we do
not ask our own oil companies to build more refineries.
Congress needs to ``get into their rice bowl'' as they. And
if the oil companies do not want to be part of this, Congress
should tax their profits beyond a certain point and use the
money to supplement gas prices. In the past during times of
war, Congress has created excess profit taxes to take the
profit out of war and they should do that now. We are in a
domestic war and it is killing our country. Or Congress
should look at their profits and set gas prices for them. Set
regular gas, for example, at $3.00 per gallon and the next
year if their profits are still beyond reason, drop it down
to $2.50 per gallon.
Thanks for working on this issue Mike. My wife and I are
worried for our country. We do not know where all of this is
going, but it does not look good.
Jim.
____

We, as a Nation, have been irresponsible in allowing
ourselves to be dependent upon foreign sources for our energy
needs. And now, we are all paying the painful price. It is
ignorant to believe that we can just purchase all our energy
from other countries and in doing so, save the environment.
We have some of the strictest standards in place in the
United States to prevent damage to the environment, and yet
we allow other countries without those standards to pollute
the environment in the production of our energy. This is
burying our heads in the sand.
We have vastly improved our technologies since the early
1980s when the bans on offshore drilling were put into
effect. We would not expect to see the same problems we had
in the past if we were to resume that drilling today. We also
need to address the fact that we have not built any new
refineries in this country, and that is a necessary piece to
our energy needs puzzle. We have vast resources of oil
reserves that are untouched, mostly due to the cries of the
environmentalists, who are using their hearts instead of
their minds to raise their objections.
I have a dear friend who is an independent trucker out of
Pennsylvania, who has been doing a long-haul run from there
to the Northwest for over 10 years now. He has been watching
his profits be reduced by thousands of dollars per run, a
reduction that he is not able to simply pass along. After
almost 25 years of trucking, he is now contemplating
something else for the future. What will we, as a nation, do
if enough of our truckers quit due to the rising fuel costs?
We do not have enough alternatives in place to move our
goods, and without moving our goods, our economy will
collapse. We, individually, understand the impact on our
family budgets for energy increases, but we have not yet
begun to feel the entire impact that will trickle down to our
level.
We need to develop our own energy. We need to allow more
drilling. We need to allow refineries to be built. We need to
allow nuclear power plants to be built. We need to develop
such things as wind energy and tap waste sources such as
landfills for methane gas. We need permanent tax incentives
for the installation and use of renewables such as solar and
wind. We need to develop a usable hydrogen power. And that
should just be the start.
Yes, the increase in fuel has cost me and is hampering my
lifestyle. But I fear that, if the current prices become
permanent, then the costs to me will be so much greater than
they are today, and that is unacceptable.
Thank you for your time in reading this.
Monica.
____

In September 2007 my husband changed jobs due to a long
commute and high gas prices. He had been travelling from
Weston, Idaho, to Promontory, Utah (132 miles round trip),
and had done so for the last sixteen years. In September, he
took a new job in Logan, Utah, which was half the commute.
However, in the exchange, he also took a $4.50/hr cut in pay.
We were okay because of the shorter commute and we were
saving in gas. Now, with the higher, much higher fuel prices,
we not only have lost the fuel savings but still have the cut
in wages. It is getting very difficult to make ends meet.
High fuel costs are affecting every aspect of our lives--
food, utilities, etc. We are supportive of drilling America's
own oil so we are not reliant on outside sources. Speed
limits could also be reduced and enforced. We drive small
fuel-efficient vehicles, unlike many who are driving large
trucks and SUVs. Americans need to wake up. Farmers in our
area are really struggling. Fuel prices are making it very
difficult to plant and harvest crops. We just need some
relief. We appreciate your asking our input and support your
efforts in getting the people of Idaho and America some
relief.
Richard and Christy, Weston.
____

We need to start drilling now.
I am an Idaho resident and, because of work, commute weekly
from Idaho to Washington. The fuel costs are affecting me by
not only personal use of my cars but also air fare and food
for my farm animals and us.
There is so much oil out there in the US, i.e., shale oil,
oil from coal, onshore and offshore oil. Until the new
technology comes out for autos and electrical energy we need
to use the fuel that we have instead of punishing the people
of this country--by listening to the eco terror people, green
peace and the others. They are the ones that created the
problem plus the new socialist democrats. Who are taking our
freedoms away? Oh, one more thing the man caused global
warming is a fraud it is natural climate changes. Look at the
past.
Thomas.
____

I do not have much to say but this. I work as a restaurant
manager and I see firsthand the domino effect of the energy/
gas crisis. Restaurants are the first to view the troubled
economy. Our sales are down, not saying how much. Food cost
is rising. People are not coming out to eat. My Team Members
are getting hours cut and not making enough money to even
survive, let alone put gas in their tanks. My staff is the
first hit by any economy issue and our sales have dropped
drastically. My restaurant and its staff members who are in a
crisis state. Someone needs to do something.
Brandy, Boise.
____

To Whom It May Concern:
I ride my bike almost everywhere I go so my gas price is
$0/gallon. Also, my pollution impact is minimal as is my road
impact, and my health is excellent.
Mike, Boise.

[[Page S2318]]

____
Thank you for the opportunity to provide input on this
critical input. I am employed as an Environmental Engineer at
the Idaho National Laboratory--Materials Fuels Complex--a
nuclear fuels research facility.
Impacts--to name a few:
Greatly reduced discretionary travel and spending
Marked increase in cost of food and consumables
Recent need to reduce percentage of income saved for
retirement and college tuition for our children.
Huge increase in cost associated with heating home (Rocky
Mountain Power) and irrigate my property.
Enormous cost increase in corn feed and fertilizer
Inability to afford herbicides necessary to combat noxious
weeds on property
Decreased property values of vacation home in Island Park
Idaho--given drastically reduced numbers of vacation visitors
to Fremont Co. since gas and diesel have gone sky high.
The high fuel costs have created an atmosphere in virtually
all commodities that the producer can falsely claim that
their higher prices charged are merely a result of higher
energy costs.
Suggested Actions:
Build infrastructure in U.S.--new, strategically located
refineries,--this is not just a crude oil problem, and our
refineries are antiquated.
Provide incentives to oil and gas companies to expand
exploration--lower their corporate tax.
Prohibit reinstatement of wind<dagger>fall profits taxes.
Eliminate overly burdensome environmental/permitting
hurdles for petroleum exploration, siting and operation of
oil refineries, extraction/processing of oil shale, oils
sands, etc.
Target drastically higher dollars for University research
of petroleum exploration, extraction, and refining
technologies.

Develop ANWR and all offshore resources

Develop natural gas distribution infrastructure--to gain
access to the huge natural gas reserves in North America.
Never sign up to the Law of the Sea Treaty.
Reject Cap and Trade.
Sign on to No global warming (hoax) treaties or
initiatives.
Play economic hardball with China and India, whom subsidize
their citizens' use of petroleum products.
Firmly commandeer Iraq's oil reserves as partial
compensation for the loss of life and financial burden of the
Iraq war.
Thank you for the opportunity. P.S.--the U.S. is not too
dependent upon fossil fuels; we are not using what we have on
U.S. and adjacent soil wisely, or at all.
Paul, Idaho Falls.
____

I really appreciate your efforts to help out the public. I
work as a receptionist at St Alphonsus. Many patients are
canceling their appointments primarily because they cannot
afford to drive, even if it is 5 miles away. The public is
not happy because of the gas prices.
My fiance and I just moved closer to where I work. If we
did not I would not be able to afford the gas to come to
work. The rising gas prices are making the gap bigger between
the rich and the poor. Something does need to be done
quickly. The greed needs to come to an end and the government
is the only force here in the United States big enough to
help out the public.
Thanks for understanding,
Megan, Boise
____

Years ago I was pleased to be able to wait on your wife as
she drove thru the MPCU teller window in Idaho Falls. With
her in the Suburban were a passel of kids. Now I also have a
few children, and these days with energy costs skyrocketing
beyond the means of many families I think it is important to
speak up. I think twice every time I drive my van because of
the costs. We normally visit my family in Idaho Falls four
times per year and this year will only be able to reasonably
afford two times, and a major component of that decision is
the cost of fuel. My husband is an engineer and drives
approximately 20 miles round trip to work every day. He and
another co worker commute to save fuel. We have not had as
much disposable income as heating, cooling and fuel prices
have climbed at an astonishing pace. We have stopped eating
as much meat because of the cost of it. I water down the milk
to make it go further. We fortunately live far below our
means, but many families are not as fortunate as we are. One
of my dear friends works in 30 miles away, and drives there
from Moscow every day. With a long daily commute, and with
higher prices looming on the horizon who knows what this
winter will bring. She said that if it goes up much more she
will not make enough money to justify the driving.
I am not asking for the government to fix this. The
American people are resilient, and the government's
micromanagement of energy opportunities has only led us to
higher prices. You can bet if the oil companies are penalized
for their comparatively tiny per gallon profit, prices will
continue to climb.
What I propose is for government to get out of the way.
Pave the road to energy independence with reduced regulation
and open opportunity for exploration of all energy sources.
We should pursue coal to oil, nuclear, wind, methane, natural
gas and every other type of fuel, with the goal of being
energy independent. If the government will just be
reasonable, we could do all these things. I appreciate your
service, and your request for stories. Thank you for
remembering that you are there in our place, remind the
others that they are too.
Emily, Moscow.
____

First I must say that I am a retired federal employee with
34 years of service. As you know living on a fixed income is
not easy at best, but with the cost of gas going up that is
affecting EVERYTHING. I have cut back on all non essential
driving--even to travel 50 miles to see my elderly parents
(80 & 78) once a week to help them out. I have cut back on
how often I mow the lawn to once every 2 weeks. I do not own
any recreation toys such as campers, 4-wheelers, boats or
motorcycles so cannot cut any RV usages. There will be very
limited vacation trips this summer. . . . Maybe to take my
grandsons camping.
I can remember back prior to the 70's gas scare when the
government had more controls on the oil companies and gas was
much more reasonable and there was still exploration being
done by the oil companies. Now without controls these
companies are having record net profits (enough to lower the
cost of gas close to $1.00 a gallon), why is this happening?
Also the stock market futures on oil dictate price increases
before the crude is even bought, but the drops in crude never
seem to get passed on to consumers at the same rate as the
increases . . . again why is this?
There was a march protesting the petroleum prices here in
Lewiston a couple of weeks ago . . . what else can the people
do to get thru to our government?
Thank you for the opportunity to voice my frustrations.
Sincerely,
Bob.
____

We must do all we can to mitigate the energy crisis
gripping this nation. We can and must become energy
independent on natural gas in America. We have the resources
here to achieve this. Start drilling. Prices are on track to
double by this winter. However, the brutal truth is that the
neo-American Bolshevik socialist left in this country will
tie this nation up in the courts for years to prevent this
and force their agenda on this nation. They are arrogantly
smug about their ability to control us now. And well they
should be. They have been trained by some of the finest
Marxist professors anywhere in the world today, right here in
the USA. In the end, our epitaph will read that we destroyed
ourselves with the very freedoms that made us the envy of the
free world. May almighty God forgive us for what we have
allowed to happen to this grand experiment in human freedom.
Randy.

____________________