Energy/Highway Measure on the House Floor Next Week

• American families and small businesses are struggling with high gas prices, and President Obama’s policies are only making things worse.  In fact, gas prices have doubled on the president’s watch.
• Before the district work period, the House passed a three-month highway extension to provide more time for consensus to be built for an infrastructure bill that acknowledges the need for meaningful action on American energy production and gas prices.  The Senate bill lacks any energy provisions at all at a time when Americans are being slammed by high gas prices.
• This week, as a vehicle for going to conference with the Senate, the House will take up another highway extension, this time paired with legislation requiring approval of the Keystone energy pipeline.
• Moving the bill will pave the way for a House-Senate conference to discuss both reforming how taxpayer dollars are spent on federal infrastructure programs, and also meaningful solutions that would address high gas prices and create jobs by permanently removing government barriers to American energy production.
• On April 11 the Nebraska Legislature approved a bill that would expedite the process of finalizing the route through the state, making it more critical than ever that Congress take bipartisan action to allow the pipeline to move forward. With Nebraska ready to move forward, the president is out of excuses for delaying the project. 
• Americans hold the president responsible for his policies that are making gas prices worse, and overwhelmingly disagree with his decision to reject and personally lobby against the Keystone pipeline – and the tens of thousands of new American jobs that come with it. 
• There is bipartisan support for more American energy production, and the Keystone energy pipeline in particular, and it’s long past time for the White House and Democratic leaders to join Republicans and the American people in supporting responsible efforts to address high gas prices.