Today, Congressman Patrick McHenry (R-NC-10) signed a petition to force an up-or-down vote on comprehensive energy legislation designed to combat the skyrocketing price of gas. The rare procedural maneuver, know as a discharge petition, would force a vote on the No More Excuses Energy Act (H.R. 3089), which has been blocked by Democrat leadership for weeks.

“As gas prices skyrocket past $4 a gallon, it’s painfully clear that Washington needs to quit playing politics and deliver a comprehensive solution to our energy crisis,” said Congressman McHenry.

“This is a responsible plan to reduce fuel costs and achieve greater energy independence by bringing more refineries online, investing in alternative energy sources, and streamlining regulations to enhance American energy exploration. It is shameful for the Democrat leadership to block a vote on this bill when families and small businesses are getting hammered by record-high gas prices.”

“Unlike every other country on Earth that cheers the discovery of domestic energy resources as a great national asset, the United States alone has pursued policies specifically designed to limit its ability to achieve energy independence since the 1960’s. It is long past time to reverse those misguided policies.”

Introduced by Congressman Mac Thornberry of Texas, the No More Excuses Energy Act attacks America’s energy crisis by streamlining irresponsible regulations that currently prevent access to most of America’s vast energy wealth, which holds the keys to greater energy independence and lower prices at the pump.

Specifically, the bill creates a competitive leasing program to responsibly explore for energy on federal lands in Alaska and removes a moratorium on energy exploration in the Outer Continental Shelf.

In Alaska, 2,000 out of 19 million acres of land would be opened to energy exploration, which is comparable to opening an area the size of Lowes Motor Speedway in the state of South Carolina. There, it is estimated that the United States could recover enough oil to compensate for 15 years worth of Saudi Arabian oil imports.

Off the Outer Continental Shelf, the United States would gain access to oil reserves estimated at 118 billion barrels of petroleum.

Furthermore, the No Excuses Energy Act would reduce atmospheric carbon emissions by incentivizing the capture of carbon dioxide from smokestacks, which would then be used to extract valuable oil shale in the Western United States. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, these states are home to an estimated 1.8 trillion barrels worth of oil shale – enough energy to satisfy America’s current oil needs for the next 200 years.

In addition to encouraging better use of American energy resources, the No Excuses Energy Act would help lower the price of gas by expediting the construction of new oil refining facilities. In 1982, 301 oil refineries operated in the United States. Since then, that number has fallen to just 149. Currently, 28% of America’s useable gasoline is refined outside of the United States, which increases the U.S. trade deficit, sends jobs overseas, and drives up prices at the pump.

The bill also improves regulations on the construction of nuclear power plants and extends tax credits for wind energy production for an additional 10 years.