Congressman Chris Van Hollen (MD-8) to Deliver Democratic Radio Address

Congressman Chris Van Hollen (MD-8) to Deliver Democratic Radio Address

WASHINGTON, July 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Congressman Chris Van Hollen of Maryland will deliver the Democratic Radio Address tomorrow. In his address, Congressman Van Hollen will discuss Democrats' efforts to reduce the price of gas at the pump, including their call urging President Bush to free our oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

WHO: Congressman Chris Van Hollen (MD-8)

WHAT: Weekly Democratic Radio Address

WHEN: Saturday, July 12, 2008 - 11:06 a.m. (EDT)

WHERE: Major radio networks, including AP, ABC, NPR, CBS Radio, CNN Radio, Fox News Radio, C-SPAN, Armed Forces Radio Network, American Urban Radio Network, Voice of America Radio Network, BBC Radio, CBC Radio, and Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Below are unembargoed excerpts for immediate release:

"Earlier this week, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called on President Bush to immediately tap part of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in order to bring down runaway gas prices. This Reserve is the supply of oil our country has put away for a rainy day. It has never been more full than it is now. There are over 700 million gallons of oil there available for our use.

...

"And when it comes to the harm that gas prices are having on our families and our economy, America's rainy day is now.

...

"Tapping America's rainy day oil supply isn't a long-term solution. We need to put in place a real energy policy - one that frees us from dependence on foreign oil, uses American ingenuity and innovation to power our country with new clean technologies, and creates hundreds of thousands of new jobs while reducing climate change.

...

"But Americans who are hurting now can't just wait for the long term. The pain is not 'mental' and Americans are not 'whiners' as Senator McCain's top economic advisor Phil Gramm would have us believe. The pain is real, and we need immediate relief.

...

"The Big Oil companies and the energy speculators may not like the lower prices that would result from using part of our rainy day supply, but I'm pretty sure you won't mind."

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Office of the Speaker of the House

CONTACT: Brendan Daly of Office of the Speaker of the House,
+1-202-226-7616; or Marilyn Campbell of the Office of Congressman Chris Van
Hollen, +1-202-641-6628

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