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Energy crisis at top of list for Graves, Barnes
By Jeffrey M. Salem
Both candidates in the race for the U.S. House of Representatives 6th District seat have placed an importance on solving the energy crisis now wearing out many Americans’ pocketbooks.
But they disagree on how exactly the 6th District should get there, especially when it comes to domestic drilling expansion.
U.S. Rep. Sam Graves, a Republican, wants to exhaust all options on the table, which included expanding off-shore drilling abilities in the short term to curb gas prices down the road, said spokesman Ryan Steusloff.
Graves’ opponent Kay Barnes, a Democrat and former Kansas City mayor, agreed more domestic drilling could help, but more focus on new energies was needed from Congress, Barnes said in an e-mail response.
“We need to drill more in the short run, but stand up to the big oil companies and invest in other forms of energy for the future,” she said.
In an e-mail response from Graves, the two-term representative from Tarkio said a combination of expanded drilling and investment in new energies was the correct solution.
“We need an all of the above approach to meet our energy needs now and into the future. We need new drilling in ANWR (Arctic National Wildlife Refuge) and off the coasts to Americanize our energy supply and create American energy jobs. We need to look to the future and invest in alternatives like bio-fuels and wind energy. Lastly, we need to invest in nuclear, clean coal, and build more refineries,” Graves said.
In response to claims that more immediate drilling will take several years to be realized by the American public, Steusloff said the demand for oil throughout the world was increasing and Graves’ all-of-the-above approach was needed.
One point of contention between the two camps surrounded Graves’ voting record on bills that included the Wind Production Tax Credit, which gave relief to businesses that sought to use wind energy. Graves voted in favor of the tax credits five times from 2002 to 2006.
Barnes spokesman Steve Glorioso noted, however, that Graves had voted against renewing the tax credits six times in the last 18 months.
“He’s talking to voters about one thing and he’s going to Washington, D.C., and voting another way,” he said. “We want to hold Graves accountable for his record and not his words.”
Steusloff pointed out Graves voted against those bills because they contained “junk” unrelated to the tax credits. Graves is currently working on a bill that would renew the tax credits for five years, Steusloff said.
Graves said he played an integral part in Rockport becoming the country’s first city to operate solely on wind energy.
“I have been a long-time supporter of Wind Energy and because of the Wind Production Tax Credits, the 6th District is home to the first 100-percent wind-powered community in the nation,” Graves said.
News Editor Jeffrey M. Salem can be reached at 389-6653 or jeffsalem@npgco.com.
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But they disagree on how exactly the 6th District should get there, especially when it comes to domestic drilling expansion.
U.S. Rep. Sam Graves, a Republican, wants to exhaust all options on the table, which included expanding off-shore drilling abilities in the short term to curb gas prices down the road, said spokesman Ryan Steusloff.
Graves’ opponent Kay Barnes, a Democrat and former Kansas City mayor, agreed more domestic drilling could help, but more focus on new energies was needed from Congress, Barnes said in an e-mail response.
“We need to drill more in the short run, but stand up to the big oil companies and invest in other forms of energy for the future,” she said.
In an e-mail response from Graves, the two-term representative from Tarkio said a combination of expanded drilling and investment in new energies was the correct solution.
“We need an all of the above approach to meet our energy needs now and into the future. We need new drilling in ANWR (Arctic National Wildlife Refuge) and off the coasts to Americanize our energy supply and create American energy jobs. We need to look to the future and invest in alternatives like bio-fuels and wind energy. Lastly, we need to invest in nuclear, clean coal, and build more refineries,” Graves said.
In response to claims that more immediate drilling will take several years to be realized by the American public, Steusloff said the demand for oil throughout the world was increasing and Graves’ all-of-the-above approach was needed.
One point of contention between the two camps surrounded Graves’ voting record on bills that included the Wind Production Tax Credit, which gave relief to businesses that sought to use wind energy. Graves voted in favor of the tax credits five times from 2002 to 2006.
Barnes spokesman Steve Glorioso noted, however, that Graves had voted against renewing the tax credits six times in the last 18 months.
“He’s talking to voters about one thing and he’s going to Washington, D.C., and voting another way,” he said. “We want to hold Graves accountable for his record and not his words.”
Steusloff pointed out Graves voted against those bills because they contained “junk” unrelated to the tax credits. Graves is currently working on a bill that would renew the tax credits for five years, Steusloff said.
Graves said he played an integral part in Rockport becoming the country’s first city to operate solely on wind energy.
“I have been a long-time supporter of Wind Energy and because of the Wind Production Tax Credits, the 6th District is home to the first 100-percent wind-powered community in the nation,” Graves said.
News Editor Jeffrey M. Salem can be reached at 389-6653 or jeffsalem@npgco.com.