Sen. Collins Votes To Stay In Session, Deal With Nation's Energy Crisis

For Immediate Release

Contact: Jennifer Webber

Phone: (207) 939-0213

Email: jen@mainegop.com

August 4, 2008

Tom Allen votes to go home

PORTLAND, Maine-- Late Thursday evening, the U.S. Senate voted 48-40 in favor of a motion to adjourn so lawmakers could leave Washington for a month-long August recess. U.S. Senator Susan Collins was among those who voted to remain at work in order to address high gas and oil prices.

Unfortunately, a day earlier, the U.S. House of Representatives also voted to go home without addressing the current energy crisis. This motion passed by just ONE VOTE, 213-212. Congressman Tom Allen voted to go home.

"It's unfortunate there are some in Congress who would rather wait until at least September to deal with our nation's energy crisis. Congress should have voted to stay in session and pledged to work together in a bipartisan way to try and address the problem. The decision to go home and let families continue to worry is simply irresponsible," said Mark Ellis, Chairman of the Maine Republican Party. "Had Tom Allen, who is a member of the House Energy Committee, voted to stay in session instead of voting to go home, Congress would be at work today trying to solve a crisis that will not go away on its own."

Also on Friday, Senator Susan Collins announced her support for a bipartisan, compromise energy plan that would increase American production of energy to help bring down the cost of energy. The plan, drafted by five Republicans and five Democrats, incorporates provisions of Senator Collins' Ten Point Energy Plan, announced in April, that would provide additional funding to help low-income families weatherize their homes. The plan also eliminate needless tax breaks for big oil companies, and would allow drilling along the East Coast from Virginia to Georgia, and on the western coast of Florida, near areas where drilling infrastructure already exists. It would leave in place all other currently-existing bans on drilling in the U.S., including the coast of Maine, and in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).

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