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 .  