Thursday night, the U.S. Senate narrowly approved a motion to adjourn, which is required for the Congress to break for a month-long August recess. The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday approved the adjournment resolution by a one-vote margin. Senator Collins voted against allowing Congress to adjourn and released this statement:
“Our nation is in an energy crisis. There is nothing more important that Congress should be dealing with now. I am profoundly disappointed that Congress will take this August break without acting on the comprehensive energy legislation that is needed to combat high energy prices, provide increased funding for weatherization and Low-Income Heating Assistance, and put American on a path to achieve energy independence.
“At a time when many Mainers have had to curtail their own vacations due to the high cost of gasoline and heating oil, it is irresponsible for Congress to stop working on energy legislation for an entire month. As I visit communities throughout Maine, I hear time and again that the high cost of energy is a crisis for many of our citizens. Rapidly increasing prices for home heating oil, gasoline and diesel fuel are a crushing burden for many families, truckers, farmers, fishermen, and small businesses. High oil prices affect virtually every corner of the economy, in Maine and throughout the country, and are a significant cause of the current economic downturn.
“I am committed to the passage of legislation based on the principle that America’s long-term energy security requires us to produce more, use less, and develop alternative, renewable sources of energy.
“While there is a promising, bipartisan proposal to address both our short and long-term energy challenges, it is unacceptable that we must now wait until September to move these important measures forward.”