Former Governor Bob Graham: Christine Jennings Will Bring “the Kind of Change We Need in Washington”
SARASOTA, FL – May 23, 2008 – With gas prices hovering at $3.83 per gallon nationwide, former Governor Bob Graham joined Congressional candidate Christine Jennings at Main Street Automotive, a Sarasota gas station, to talk about the importance of righting the country’s economic course. Senator Graham also announced his endorsement of Jennings in the race for Florida’s 13th Congressional District.
“Since leaving office in 2005, I’ve been dismayed as the failed economic policies of this administration have taken their toll on people here in Florida, and across the country. It’s clear we need a change,” said Graham at a press conference.
“Christine Jennings spent 40 years as a banker and a community leader, and she understands the pressures that people in the 13th District are facing every day,” Graham remarked later. “The values that drive Christine will help her bring the kind of change we need in Washington to work through these tough economic times. That’s why I’m proud to give her my endorsement in this race.”
“In Tallahassee and then in Washington, Governor Graham always made serving the people of Florida his top priority,” said Jennings. “His support means so much to me, especially in this election, when the stakes are so high.
“You don’t have to look any further than the gas station behind me to know that when elected officials like President Bush and Representative Buchanan put the interests of big oil and big business first, the American people end up paying the price,” continued Jennings. “It’s time to make a change, and that’s why I am committed to reducing our dependence on oil and investing in clean, renewable energy and efficient technologies. Now is the time to work together, for our country’s future.”
Jennings mentioned several key steps to address the pain Americans are feeling at the pump, including investing in alternate energy sources, ending subsidies for oil companies, increasing fuel efficiency standards and increasing funding for mass transit.
Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Longboat Key), had voted against several key pieces of energy legislation that would help America reduce its dependence on foreign oil:
- Buchanan voted against higher CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) standards, which would raise the fuel economy standards for cars and light trucks to 35 miles per gallon. (Amendment to HR 6, House Vote 1140, December 6, 2007)
- Buchanan voted against the Renewable Energy Bill, which would require utility companies to produce at least 15 percent of their electricity from renewable energy sources by 2020. (HR 3221, August 4, 2007)
- Buchanan also voted against a bill that would have paid for energy-related tax provisions and renewable energy tax breaks by increasing taxes and reducing benefits for oil and gas companies. (HR 2776, August 4, 2007)
At $3.83 a gallon, the current average price of gas nationally is 264 percent more than the average price of $1.45 when President Bush took office. At the same time, oil company profits have skyrocketed. In 2001, the cumulative profits of the five largest oil companies in the United States were $35 billion. In 2007, those same companies made a cumulative profit of $123 billion. Of that, a record $40.6 billion in profits went to ExxonMobil, a company in which Rep. Buchanan has between $50,000 and $100,000 in stock, according to his 2006 personal financial disclosure.
