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From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     AMERICA'S RISING ENERGY PRICES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Michigan (Mr. Walberg) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about a topic that 
affects every American, rising energy prices. I've spoken on this floor 
about it before, and I will continue to do so until we increase our 
energy production here in America, and our dependence on the political 
earthquake zones of this world is depleted.
  While President Obama was traveling in South America, I returned home 
to my district last week, and I heard from my constituents loud and 
clear: Gas prices are too high. We need to do something about it. 
That's why I found it so outrageous and appalling when I heard our 
President last week offering assistance and encouraging energy 
production, not here in America, but in Brazil.
  No, that's not the right direction. We need to encourage energy 
production right here at home, not Brazil. We need to develop our 
offshore energy resources so that jobs can be created here in America, 
not Brazil. And we need to encourage energy independence so that we 
return to more reasonable energy costs, not in Brazil, but right here 
in America.
  Mr. Speaker, the time is now to confront this issue and encourage 
energy exploration and production right here at home. The time is now 
to create our independence from foreign energy sources and secure our 
present and future as good stewards of our God-given resources and the 
blessings of liberty.

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