TOM UDALL MISREPRESENTS ENERGY VOTES

Alexandria, VA—The American Conservative Union (ACU) is attempting to correct the record after a news story claimed New Mexico Congressman Tom Udall has supported increased oil refining capacity.

In a letter to the Albuquerque Journal responding to an August 6th story, ACU Director of Government Relations Larry Hart said Udall spokeswoman Marissa Padilla’s claim of Udall’s support on this issue is contradicted by his voting record.

“On the two key votes included in ACU’s Annual Rating of Congress since 2005, Udall voted “NO” each time,” Hart said.  “In 2005, the House voted 212-210 to pass H.R. 3893 to streamline approvals for refinery expansion and construction.  The bill then died in the Senate.  In 2006, again the House voted on a bill, H.R. 5254, which would have streamlined the refinery application process. Although the bill received a majority of 237 votes, it failed to receive the two-thirds necessary under an expedited procedure. These votes were chosen as the key votes on refinery expansion in the last three years.”

Hart noted that then House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Joe Barton (R-TX) pleaded for support for the 2006 bill, saying that the U.S. has “shut down more refineries in the last 30 years than we have refineries operating today in the United States…New refinery projects would be good for the public in the form of lower prices.”

“In the rush follow the public’s increasing support for more domestic energy production, members of Congress should not try to cover up their record,” Hart said.

The American Conservative Union has published its Annual Rating of Congress for 37 consecutive years beginning in 1971.

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