Congress recesses in oil-cost stalemate

Sen. Bob Bennett says Utahns shout the question at him as he rides in local parades. Rep. Jim Matheson says it is the hottest political topic he has seen in Utah in years. It is: What is Congress doing to lower gasoline prices?

Unfortunately, the answer is Congress didn't do anything before it began its August recess on Friday — except argue for weeks after gasoline hit $4 a gallon.

Most major legislation came to a standstill in that time as Republicans blocked it to demand that Congress first vote on such things as lifting bans on oil shale development on federal lands or lifting bans on at-sea drilling in the outer continental shelf.

Democrats would not allow that, saying it would do little to lower gas prices now and might hurt the environment. They instead pushed mostly to attack speculation in oil markets — as oil companies reported record profits — but Republicans blocked that to seek votes affecting oil production.

Rep. Chris Cannon, R-Utah, who is free from most political pressure since he was defeated in this year's primary election, said in a recent interview that Congress seems more interested in gaining ammunition against opponents than lowering prices. "It's frustrating," he said.

Utah's members of Congress were often in the middle of the gasoline-fueled fury of recent weeks, frequently giving floor speeches or participating in press conferences or hearings.

For example on Friday, Sen.Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, told the Senate, "Democrats have done absolutely nothing to address the rising cost of energy. We (Republicans) have proposed increasing the supply off our coasts, extending the expiring energy tax incentives and reducing our dependence on foreign oil by providing alternative energy resources."

Bennett, R-Utah, in a Senate speech on Thursday said Utahns seeing him in parades for the Fourth of July or Pioneer Day would shout questions including, "Why aren't you producing more American oil? Drill now."

He said, "I am going to have a hard time explaining to anybody why the Senate won't allow us to do that" because of stalemates by the two parties favoring different approaches. He especially attacked some Democrats who argued against lifting bans on oil shale development on federal land, claiming the technology for that is not yet ready and mature.

"We are (ready) in Utah," he said, adding such production is happening on state-owned lands. "The reason they can't produce large amounts of oil is that we don't have enough state land to produce on a larger scale. If you are going to produce large quantities, you have to allow development on (federal) public lands, but there is a moratorium in place (there)."

Matheson, D-Utah, with five colleagues introduced a bill on Friday that calls for a comprehensive approach to addressing energy concerns. "I think everything needs to be on the table," from oil shale to nuclear to coal and more, he said.

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