John Stephen Challenges Opponents' Records On Energy Costs

MEDIA RELEASE                                         CONTACT:For Immediate Release                                        Greg MooreJune 2, 2008                                         (603) 568-8159 (cell)
John Stephen Challenges Opponents' Records On Energy CostsShea-Porter, Bradley Both Voted To Restrict New Energy Exploration, Driving Up Prices                                                             MANCHESTER, NH- As gasoline costs in New Hampshire have crossed the $4 per gallon level, 1st District Congressional candidate John Stephen today called out both his opponents for consistently voting to restrict new energy exploration and banning new energy technology across the country.  These actions, over the past six years, have reduced domestic energy supply which has increased the cost of gas, heating oil and electricity to consumers across the country.
"The American people are being crushed by the high cost of gas at the pump," said Stephen.  "Filling up your tank shouldn't clean out your bank account, but right now it's costing many people $80 to $100.  Carol Shea-Porter and Jeb Bradley have consistently voted to choke off the supply of energy from America, which has hiked the price of gasoline for us all.  At a time when we needed leaders to keep the price of fuel down, Shea-Porter and Bradley were nowhere to be found."
Bradley repeatedly voted against new energy exploration in Alaska (Roll Call #135, 2003; Roll Call #122, 2005; Roll Call #209, 2006), against lifting the moratorium on offshore oil and natural gas production (Roll Call #192, 2005; Roll Call #356, 2006) and against streamlining and reducing fuel additive requirements (Roll Call #247, 2004).  Rep. Shea-Porter voted to ban coal-to-liquid and tar sands petroleum purchases (Roll Call #40, 2007) and to put a moratorium on oil shale development (Roll Call #1186, 2007).  Currently, 85% of the Outer Continental Shelf is now off limits to exploration, while oil shale deposits that the Department of Interior estimates have three times the oil reserves of Saudi Arabia cannot be utilized.
"The price of gas and oil has skyrocketed over the past few years because we have not been able to put in place a strategy for increase our domestic energy supply," added Stephen.  "We need a long-term energy strategy to develop clean, efficient energy, but we need to get moving now on growing the energy available here, in an environmental friendly manner, to keep gas prices down.  We can't increase our supply here if Congress keeps throwing roadblocks in the way of progress.  Maybe Jeb Bradley and Carol Shea-Porter don't mind paying $4 a gallon for gas, but most American can't afford it.  We need change in Washington and that starts with people who understand the need to get energy prices under control."
John Stephen is the former Commissioner of Health and Human Services.  Prior to that position, he served as the Assistant Commissioner of Safety, where he also served as the state's first Homeland Security Coordinator.  Stephen also served as a prosecutor for 10 years, in Hillsborough County and as an Assistant Attorney General.  He is a Manchester resident.