mr. chairman , american consumers are being hit hard at the gas pump right now . 
the legislation we have on the floor today will go a long way towards giving our nation the sound , comprehensive energy policy that our citizens need and deserve . 
our nation is too dependent on a fickle foreign oil market that is being stretched to the limit by global demands . 
the evidence can be seen at gas stations across the united states . 
recently , the national average price of gasoline hit an all-time high of $ 2.28 a gallon . 
oil prices , at one point , jumped to almost $ 58 a barrel . 
analyst forecast a higher spike to $ 60 soon . 
in some parts of the country , like the west coast , gas has jumped to more than $ 2.50 for a gallon of unleaded . 
the house has passed energy legislation three times . 
each time it has been blocked for partisan gamesmanship . 
meanwhile , families are finding it more expensive to plan a family vacation or even drive their kids to little league practice . 
many of our small business owners , like florists , truck drivers and pizza delivery companies , are struggling to make ends meet . 
this is unacceptable . 
america is in the midst of an energy crisis that threatens our national and economic security . 
the house legislation does a number of things to address the crisis . 
it reduces our dependence on foreign oil by expanding domestic supplies and allowing oil and gas exploration right here in the united states . 
incentives are provided for the energy industry to increase refining capacity for gasoline , diesel fuel , home heating oil and jet fuel . 
and , this legislation makes a significant venture into the use of renewable fuels like ethanol and biodiesel -- environmentally safe alternatives that can be found in the corn , soybean and sugarcane fields right here in the united states . 
under this legislation , our citizens would have access to more fuel efficient cars . 
it launches a state-of-the-art program to have emission-free hydrogen fuel cell vehicles on the road by the year 2020 . 
and , it provides grants to state and local governments to acquire alternative fueled vehicles , hybrids and ultra-low sulfur vehicles . 
there 's also a positive economic aspect to the bill . 
it would create nearly half a million jobs in the manufacturing , construction , agriculture and technology sectors . 
house republicans have produced a bill that is environmentally friendly yet comprehensive , sound and balanced . 
more importantly , it eases america 's dependence on an unpredictable foreign market . 
this legislation provides a clear path towards the more efficient , reliable and affordable energy policy that our citizens deserve . 
i urge the obstructionists to put partisan politics aside for the good of the american people and support this legislation . 
