House Republicans revolt

The Democratic-led House adjourned today without taking action on without voting on energy legislation.  House Republicans responded with a half-day protest on the House floor.

At the stroke of 5 on Friday afternoon, House Republicans ended their half-day protest on the darkened chamber floor with a round of “God Bless America.”

That capped a wild day in the chamber, where Republicans, aides and tourists broke all manner of House rules to protest the Democrats’ decision to leave Washington for the five-week August recess without voting on a measure to open new land to domestic oil and gas exploration.

The uproar began shortly before noon, after members cast their votes along party lines on the question of whether or not to adjourn for the day.

A small band of Republicans, protesting the decision to adjourn without an oil vote, started to speak from the well—even though the lights weren’t on, the microphones were turned off and most of their colleagues were scrambling to catch flights out of town.

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The substance of the speeches was of a piece with the summer-long move by Republicans to hammer Democratic leaders in both chambers for failing to allow a vote on measures that would open more acres—most notably in Alaska and in the Outer Continental Shelf—to domestic oil and gas exploration by private companies—a proposal whose popularity with voters has shot up along with the price of oil.

It’s a vote Democratic leaders have thus far successfully avoided.

Republican Leader John A. Boehner of Ohio and his number two, party Whip Roy Blunt of Missouri, both appeared at the protest—a public acknowledgment that they approved of this step.

Republicans shouted their remarks from the well of the House until Arizona Rep. John Shadegg fumbled with the public address system and finally found the correct access code that allowed him to turn on the microphone.

When he did, members cheered.

In fact, members did a lot of cheering Friday.

They cheered when the lights came on. They cheered when the lights went off again. They even cheered when the crowd in the galleries applauded their remarks.

In between, they shouted, “Work! Work! Work!”

When Capitol Police closed the tourist galleries, the members invited visitors down to the chamber floor—a rare privilege made possible because the House was not officially in session, so the regular rules did not apply.

Members noted these irregularities in their remarks all afternoon, and Republican staff scrambled to get members and aides onto the floor to keep the momentum building. At one point, leadership aides sent out an all-points-bulletin to Republican staff asking for a bullhorn to help members broadcast their remarks to those in the chamber. Many lawmakers canceled their flights to make remarks on the floor.

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The protest occurred after the Democrats crafted an adjournment rule preventing Republicans from making a series of five-minute speeches to bash the majority party for declining to vote on off-shore drilling.

More than 75 members had signed up to offer a brief speech when the House approved an adjournment resolution largely along party lines that shut the chamber immediately after the last vote.

As news of the protest spread over the Internet, the assembled Republicans eventually convened a news conference right off Statuary Hall.

This gaggle of reporters and cameras was the largest such crowd many of these members had attracted to a press conference since assuming the minority early last year.

Price, the energetic ringleader, told the throng, “What we did today was give voice to the American people on the biggest issue they face today: the high price of gasoline.”

There was even a letter sent to President Bush urging that a special session be called.

Congressman Jeb Hensarling (R-TX), Chairman of the House Republican Study Committee (RSC), and Congressman Mike Pence (R-IN), former Chairman of RSC, today urged President Bush to call for a special session of Congress after the House adjourned without allowing a vote on comprehensive legislation to develop more American energy and help the millions of Americans currently feeling pain at the gas pump.

The text of their letter is below:

The President
The White House
Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear Mr. President,

The House of Representatives has not taken a vote since January 2007 that would expand domestic energy production. All the while, Americans are hurting. Every time they go to fill up their cars, trucks or tractors they feel the pain at the pump. High gas prices are harming the vitality of our families, the elderly, small businesses, and family farms. Each and every American is affected.

Today the Democrat controlled Congress adjourned for a five-week vacation without taking a vote on bipartisan measures that would lessen our dependence on foreign oil by allowing more domestic drilling on the Outer Continental Shelf. In fact, they adjourned without even allowing time for debate on the subject of drilling.

On July 14, 2008, you took the strong action of lifting the executive order that had banned offshore drilling. In so doing, you said that allowing offshore oil drilling is “one of the most important steps we can take” to reduce the burden of high gas prices. Now, all it would take is an act of Congress for that drilling to begin.

Since Speaker Pelosi has decided not to keep the House in session to allow this vote to take place, we urge you to use the power vested in you by the Constitution to convene an immediate energy special session of Congress. Under Article II, Section 3 of the Constitution, you have the power ‘on extraordinary occasions’ to convene the Congress.

We believe that the energy emergency that has increased the pain felt by Americans when they purchase $4 per gallon gasoline is an extraordinary occasion. We urge you to immediately bring the Congress back into session to do its job and give the bipartisan, pro-drilling majority a vote.

Thank you for your consideration of our request.

I wonder if Congressman Kagen was back in the 8th District before the protest ended?  And why not push your party leadership to take a vote on this issue Congressman? Or don’t you care that gas was $3.79 in the Green Bay metro area today?