On August 1st, Speaker Nancy Pelosi displayed just how in tune with her book, Know Your Power, she truly is. She decided there would be none of the customary five-minute ‘Special Orders’ speeches made at the end of the session - thus squelching the voices of House Republicans eager to leave some typical parting shots, for the Congressional Record, before the commencement of the five week August recess.

House Republicans, just a dozen or so to begin with, began speaking aloud in the near-empty Chamber. Tourists, a few press in the gallery, were all listening. But Speaker Pelosi turned off the lights, turned off the cameras, and shut off the microphones. The Old Dominion’s own, Rep. Eric Cantor (and potential McCain Veep) was speaking when Speaker Pelosi’s edict “No more debate” came down. She denied direct communication between our elected Representatives with the American people.

The question begs asking: What is she afraid of?

Speaker Pelosi failed to realize something. The House Republicans - finally - were going to take a stand for the American People. For the folks in flyover country. For the long-haul truck drivers and the entry-level commuters. For the single moms and the working dads, whose paychecks barely cover child care and gas, let alone the mortgage and utilities and food. A few enterprising Members of Congress decided they would take the opportunity at hand - and bring Americans onto the Floor of Their House. Boy Scouts, German tourists, Americans on vacation in the Nation’s Capitol, all were escorted onto the Floor to hear passionate and inspiring speeches - not because the words were pretty - but because the Ideas were real.

House Republicans were not debating a controversial social or religious issue. All they wanted… a simple up or down vote on The American Energy Act.

Key provisions:

To increase the supply American-made energy in environmentally sound ways, the legislation will:

• Open our deep water ocean resources, which will provide an additional three million barrels of oil per day, as well as 76 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, as proposed in H.R. 6108 by Rep. Sue Myrick (R-NC). Rep. John Peterson (R-PA) has also worked tirelessly on this issue.
• Open the Arctic coastal plain, which will provide an additional one million barrels of oil per day, as proposed in H.R. 6107 by Rep. Don Young (R-AK);
• Allow development of our nation’s shale oil resources, which could provide an additional 2.5 million barrels of oil per day, as proposed in H.R. 6138 by Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI); and
• Increase the supply of gas at the pump by cutting bureaucratic red tape that essentially blocks construction of new refineries, as proposed in H.R. 6139 by Reps. Heather Wilson (R-NM) and Joe Pitts (R-PA).

To improve energy conservation and efficiency, the legislation will:

• Provide tax incentives for businesses and families that purchase more fuel efficient vehicles, as proposed in H.R. 1618 and H.R. 765 by Reps. Dave Camp (R-MI) and Jerry Weller (R-IL);
• Provide a monetary prize for developing the first economically feasible, super-fuel-efficient vehicle reaching 100 miles-per-gallon, as proposed in H.R. 6384 by Rep. Rob Bishop (R-UT); and
• Provide tax incentives for businesses and homeowners who improve their energy efficiency, as proposed in H.R. 5984 by Reps. Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD), Phil English (R-PA), and Zach Wamp (R-TN), and in H.R. 778 by Rep. Jerry Weller (R-IL).

To promote renewable and alternative energy technologies, the legislation will:

• Spur the development of alternative fuels through government contracting by repealing the “Section 526” prohibition on government purchasing of alternative energy and promoting coal-to-liquids technology, as proposed in H.R. 5656 by Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX), in H.R. 6384 by Rob Bishop (R-UT), and in H.R. 2208 by Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL);
• Establish a renewable energy trust fund using revenues generated by exploration in the deep ocean and on the Arctic coastal plain, as proposed by Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA);
• Permanently extend the tax credit for alternative energy production, including wind, solar and hydrogen, as proposed in H.R. 2652 by Rep. Phil English (R-PA) and in H.R. 5984 by Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD); and
• Eliminate barriers to the expansion of emission-free nuclear power production, as proposed in H.R. 6384 by Rep. Rob Bishop (R-UT).

The American Energy is an All of the Above approach. More American energy = More American jobs. It’s not complicated - its real. Since President George W. Bush listed the presidential moratorium on domestic drilling, the price of oil - and gas - has been on a steep decline. Speaker Pelosi likes to use the word ‘hoax’ in relation to expanded oil drilling - but the truth is right in front of us. Lifting the presidential ban had a critical, and postive, effect on the pocketbooks of average Americans.

The American Energy Act represents the ‘compromise.’ It is more an ‘all of the above’ — it’s the Kitchen Sink strategy. Speaker Pelosi continues to play chicken with the American people. And We the People have had enough.

We the People have told the House GOP (and Democrats honestly concerned about a comprehensive energy plan) “#dontgo.” And they have answered back. So far, 100 Members have gone to the House Floor and defended the best interests on the American People. This is our nation.

—Media Lizzy