Death of Bin Laden, Reducing Pain at the Pump, and Touring the Allison Transmission Plant -- May 10, 2011
Dear Friend,
Thank you for reading another edition of my e-newsletter, the Carson Courier. For additional information on these and other topics, please visit my website at https://www.carson.house.gov.
In this week's Carson Courier:
- Death of Osama bin Laden
- Reducing Pain at the Pump
- President Obama and Congressman Carson Tour Allison Transmission Plant
Death of Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Laden's death stands as the most significant achievement to date in our fight against al-Qaeda and global terrorism. I applaud President Obama for his exceptional leadership in bringing bin Laden to justice. I also congratulate the President's national security team, CIA Director Panetta, the intelligence community, and the courageous men and women of our Armed Forces. The unprecedented success of this mission, coupled with the fact no American lives were lost, is a testament to their professionalism, which I know will serve as well going forward. Though bin Laden's death was a body blow to al-Qaeda, it does not diminish, in any way, our vigilance or relentless pursuit of all terrorist networks who threaten America.
We cannot bring back the loved ones who fell on 9/11, but I hope this act of justice provides a measure of comfort to their families.
To read my official statement, please visit my website here.
Reducing Pain at the Pump
I want to thank those of you who have called my office to express your concern over gas prices, which have skyrocketed to $4.29 per gallon in most parts of Indianapolis. This is an unacceptable hardship for 7th District families, which is why I'm committed to common-sense solutions to reduce gas prices. I, along with many Democrats in Congress, have urged President Obama to release oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to bring down gas prices in the short term.
In addition, we must end tax breaks for Big Oil and stop Wall Street speculators whose actions drive up prices. Most Americans might be surprised to learn that the top five multi-national oil companies made over $900 billion in profits over the last decade, and yet we continue to give them billion-dollar subsidies. This must end.
In order to responsibly increase our domestic energy production, I believe oil and gas companies should be compelled to use existing drilling leases first before incurring the costs of expansion. But as President Obama said today during his visit to Allison Transmission in Indianapolis, we cannot drill our way out of the problem. We must invest in clean renewable energy, like wind and solar power and move to more fuel-efficient vehicles. These are the kind of long-term investments that will not only stimulate manufacturing job growth, but also curb our reliance on fossil fuels.
President Obama and Congressman Carson Tour Allison Transmission Plant
Today I joined President Obama in Indianapolis to tout the incredible work being done by Allison Transmission on the near Westside. Bolstered by a $62.8 million grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Allison is building state-of-the art transmissions for hybrid buses, which dramatically improve fuel efficiency. The President noted that Allison's efforts are a model for restoring manufacturing as the heart of the American economy and outcompeting China and India. I was grateful to the President for the opportunity to discuss several projects critical to job creation in the district. Without question, we are perfectly placed to capitalize on green investments that put Americans back to work while reducing our dependency on foreign oil.
Check out some of the coverage from today's visit by clicking here and to see photos click here.