ANDERSON — Less than one week since suggesting Congress reconvene in a special session to more thoroughly tackle the nation’s current energy crisis, U.S. Rep. Mike Pence, R-District 6, is bringing his battle back home.

Pence spoke at a town-hall style forum Wednesday afternoon at Reardon Auditorium at Anderson University.

“I really do believe we’re at a moment in time where we have a bipartisan Congress that will lead us away from dependence of foreign oil,” Pence said to the crowd of approximately 50. “I believe (comprehensive energy reform) would pass, I’m not positive, but what’s the problem with letting elected officials exercise their judgment?”

Since Pence’s election into office this decade, he said two special sessions have been called. One concerned the 9/11 commission report, while the other provided immediate relief to victims of Hurricane Katrina.

“Do I think we’re at that level? Yes,” Pence said. “I think we’re in a new energy crisis, and the American people want Congress to get back to work and help solve this in a bipartisan way.”

While audience members were not opposed to special session, the tactics for relief did vary. Audience member Tom Tescher said he worried that during an election year “political gamemanship” may be at hand, particularly as stockpiled oil supplies continue to remain untapped. Also, he voiced his displeasure at the continued failure of legislation to limit future oil predictors. But despite the 40 percent increase of oil prices caused by speculators, according to Tescher, Pence still insists there are other alternatives to immediate gas relief.

“I voted against those bills because in my judgment the reason we stockpile oil is because of potential threats economically,” Pence said, explaining that more drilling is instead the immediate solution. “Also, I’m just not persuaded at this time to shoot the speculators.”

Spectator George Bell also weighed in on the conversation, asking why skeptics believe relief would still be two to three years away under Pence’s plan.

Pence said the reaction was evident of an overall drop in prices that would occur if Congress can reach a comprehensive solution during special session. So far, however, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Bush have both strayed from calling a special session, an action Pence said would have immediate results for American consumers.

“I don’t know that I’ve talked to anybody that didn’t think Congress should come back to Washington, D.C., and finish their work,” Pence said. “Only in Washington, D.C., would staying after work because you didn’t get your work done be amazing ... If people don’t get their work done in the allotted time they stay over, yet only in Congress do they take a five-week paid vacation and accomplish nothing.”

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Words of Indiana 6th District Rep. Mike Pence on updating the nation’s comprehensive energy policy:

“In the last few days, thousands of Hoosiers have called and written my office encouraging me to continue the fight on lower gas prices ... I will hear from Hoosiers and take their sentiments back to the floor of Congress later this week ... to demand that Speaker Nancy Pelosi call Congress back into session and give the American people a vote on the comprehensive plan that includes more drilling.”

Source: http://mikepence.house.gov