GOP energy revolt presses on; Dems dismiss ‘stunt’

Energized House Republicans believe they have struck political gold with American voters angered by high gas prices through their unusual revolt on the floor, which Democrats on Monday tried to dismiss as a “political stunt.”

“When we began this on Friday at 11:20 a.m., we didn’t know where it was going to lead,” said Rep. Tom Price (Ga.), who has been directing the group of some 30 Republican members who have stayed or returned to D.C. to protest the House’s adjournment.

{mosads}“But we have been buoyed and heartened by the American people. And what they have said is ‘Thank you for leading’,” Price said.

He and other Republicans said they would continue to speak from the floor about the need for Congress to act on high gas prices through the August recess — even if no one is watching. C-SPAN cameras have not captured the GOP floor speeches on Monday and Friday, when the protests began, because Congress is adjourned.

“There will be many more hours [of speeches] today and throughout the week,” Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) said at a midday press conference.

Price and his colleagues have vowed to continue giving speeches to their staff and members of the public touring the Capitol until Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) reconvenes the chamber. The House is not scheduled to return to session until September and Pelosi has given no indication that she is willing to succumb to the GOP tactics.

Democratic leaders called the protest a “political stunt” in a memo from the Democratic Caucus Communications Office that was circulated to Democratic press secretaries. The memo was designed to call attention to the amount of money House Republicans have raised from energy companies.

“Whether the House is in session or not, the Republicans on the floor today have always gone out of their way to protect the oil companies that fund their campaigns,” the memo said. “All told, the House Republicans leading this week’s efforts have taken more than $3 million in campaign contributions from Big Oil companies.”

Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) called the GOP floor takeover a “transparent political effort” to generate headlines.

“For six years, Republicans controlled every branch of government and did nothing while America became more dependent on foreign sources of oil,” Hoyer said in a release Monday. “House Republicans now want to dust off old proposals, rejected by Congress on a bipartisan basis as bad ideas, and claim they have put forward ‘solutions’.”

Aides in Pelosi’s office said they would not make any special effort to have video cameras in the chamber turned back on until the entire House is back in session. The House controls the cameras, and news organizations such as C-SPAN make use of them to provide coverage.

Republicans have tried to embrace the fact that their speeches are not being broadcast by speaking directly to members of the public, including those getting unscheduled tours of the Capitol. They have implored those visitors to convey the Republican message on energy to their own members of Congress and to Pelosi.

“I bet you didn’t expect to see this,” Price asked the gallery at one point. “But it’s history because what’s happened is your Congress has not lived up to its responsibility to you.”

Republican speeches have focused on demands that Pelosi allow a majority vote on permitting drilling for oil and gas in protected areas of the Outer Continental Shelf, something Pelosi has adamantly opposed. Price asked people to call Pelosi and urge a vote.

Although Price and others insisted politics was not a part of their protest, the two days of speeches have been filled with partisan sniping and theatrics. During his speech, Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) displayed a large picture of Pelosi’s face above the caption “I am trying to save the planet.”

Pence, Price and others say they have been getting calls from a number of rank-and-file Republicans indicating their willingness to return early to Washington.

“I think it’s safe to say that we’re going to try and keep this going for a while,” said Rep. Wally Herger (R-Calif.).

As they did Friday, Republicans closed Monday with a round of “God Bless America.”