OH-16: John Boccieri Leads Schuring on Energy Issues

Schuring Follows Boccieri's Lead on Energy

Canton, OH - Months after U.S. Congressional Candidate John Boccieri first announced his energy plan, opponent Kirk Schuring has finally offered an energy proposal that endorses many of Boccieri's policies.

Senator Major John Boccieri said in a statement, today:

"I'm flattered that Sen. Schuring has finally embraced energy ideas I've been talking about for months, but I'm disappointed it took him this long to realize people are concerned about high gas prices. Unfortunately, his plan still doesn't provide enough short-term solutions to our high gas prices, and I think voters will wonder whether someone who raised their gas taxes and has taken $20,000 from oil executives is really serious about making the big energy policy changes we need."

Today Schuring adopted Boccieri's proposals to crack down on Wall Street speculation, build new refineries, encourage fuel conservation and fuel-efficient vehicle research, and invest in U.S.-based alternative energy technologies like clean coal, nuclear, wind, solar, and biofuels.

I wonder how that will play with the "independent swing-voters"?

However, Schuring's plan still does not include many measures Boccieri has proposed to provide short-term relief at the pump, such as releasing oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve or pushing oil companies to drill first on the untapped U.S. leases they already hold, including 33.5 million acres off America's coasts.

Instead, Schuring continues to claim that opening up ANWR and more U.S. coastline to drilling is a "short-term solution" to high gas prices. This notion has been refuted by experts across the political spectrum, including George W. Bush's own Energy Department, which found that these steps would not have an impact for roughly 20 years.

Boccieri added:

"We need a lot more than drilling to get us out of this mess. We need to do what it takes to lower gas prices quickly and transition to home-grown alternative energy sources as soon as possible."

Boccieri recently released a new radio spot about his energy plan, which can be heard here.

You can read Boccieri's complete energy plan is available on his website.

One fact just isn't going away: