05/14/2008
More needs to be done, however, to reduce fuel prices
CONTACT: Mike Diegel 202-314-2004
WASHINGTON, D.C.--The following statement was issued by Dan Danner, executive vice president, public policy and political for the National Federation of Independent Business in reaction to Congress' vote to temporarily suspend additions to the country’s strategic petroleum reserves.
"We applaud Congress' vote to require a temporary freeze on oil shipments to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. We wish, however, that our representatives would have voted to adopt the additional steps needed to increase domestic supply. With gasoline prices continuing to rise, Congress needs to look for ways to increase supply. Instead, the Senate rejected an amendment to expand domestic oil production in the Arctic National Wildlife Preserve and exploration in coastal waters.
"According to NFIB research, more than 37 percent of businesses have energy costs linked primarily to operating vehicles. In addition, the single largest business cost for more than 10 percent of small businesses is related to energy used in the business.
"For these reasons, we support exploring domestic energy supplies in an environmentally friendly way. In addition, states should be able to petition to lift federal moratoriums on offshore drilling in places such as the Outer Continental Shelf. The longer we wait the more it will cost at the pump, putting additional cost pressures on the key contributor to our economic well-being, America’s small businesses."
