Gingrich Campaign Press Release - Newt Gingrich Slams President Obama's "Excuses" On Energy

Kennewick, WA — Newt Gingrich issued the following response to President Obama's speech on energy at the University of Miami.

"Instead of offering a real plan to lower the cost of gasoline, President Obama offered excuses and fantasies."

"Blaming instability in the Middle East for high gas prices is not leadership. Neither is promising magic future technologies that won't satisfy today's energy needs. The fact is that President Obama could today, with a stroke of his pen, begin the process of bringing online 2.4 million new barrels of oil per day to US supplies — more than is transported through the Straits of Hormuz from the Middle East — simply by authorizing the construction of the Keystone Pipeline, re-opening the Gulf of Mexico, and permitting exploration and production in the Chukchi Sea and National Petroleum Reserve of Alaska."

"This would completely wipe out our dependence on the Persian Gulf, dramatically increase our energy security and significantly reduce prices at the pump."

Background:

According to Michael Whatley of the Consumer Energy Alliance, President Obama could today, with a stroke of his pen, begin the process of bringing online 2.5 million new barrels of oil per day to US supplies:

• Build Keystone XL: This crucial project will bring 700,000 barrels of North American crude per day to the Houston refinery complex
• Re-open the Gulf of Mexico: Increasing production to pre-Macando levels will add 400,000 barrels per day to US supplies
• Open Alaska: Permitting exploration and production in the Chukchi Sea can fill the Trans-Alaska Pipeline and add 1.4 million barrels of oil to U.S. supplies