One Midwestern Senate Democrat who serves on the Environment and Public Works Committee stated recently in a speech, “If we hope to strengthen our security and control our own foreign policy, we can offer no less of a commitment to energy independence.” In typical fashion, the rhetoric of Senate Democrats fails to match their voting records on the Senate floor and in the Committee hearing rooms. 

Fact: Democrats consistently obstruct sound, realistic solutions that would reduce America’s dependence on foreign energy sources. 

Case in point: S. 1772, the Gas PRICE Act. 

Supported by the National Association of Counties (NACo) and the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), the Gas PRICE Act would expand the nation’s refining capacity without changing environmental law, would respect the critical state-federal balance, and would significantly enhance the mid- and long-term energy security of our country. Yet Senate Democrats placed partisan politics over energy security by criticizing and ultimately voting against the bill. 

Instead, the committee’s Democrats offered and voted unanimously for an amendment that would have placed the Environmental Protection Agency in charge of designing, building and operating oil refineries at taxpayer expense – effectively socializing gas production in the United States. The Committee appropriately rejected this approach on a straight party line vote of 10-8. 

The two votes by Senate Democrats on the EPW Committee are far more telling about their alleged commitment to improving our nation’s security and commitment to energy independence than the empty rhetoric contained in one or two speeches.